The largest community housing provider in Greater Sydney, SGCH, welcomes efforts in the NSW Government budget that recognise the importance of providing a safe place for people to call home – no matter where they live, their income, or their family circumstances.

Group CEO Scott Langford said efforts to relieve cost-of-living pressures while delivering on ambitious COVID-19 recovery plans are welcome, particularly for the 1 in 430 Sydneysiders living in SGCH social, affordable, and key worker homes.

“We welcome measures in the $2.8 billion 2022 Housing Package that will get more keys in doors, including through a suite of planning reforms.

“We recognise this year’s NSW Budget represents the biggest government spend on home ownership measures in decades by accelerating planning approvals, a shared equity housing scheme, overhaul of stamp duty for first home buyers and assistance for the regions.

“We support government investment in increased diversity of housing particularly for people on low and moderate incomes – Aboriginal people, single women, children, older Australians, and those with disabilities – who need increased choices about where they live, learn, work, and play.

“To ensure vibrant and diverse places, transformational reform must deliver greater certainty for a great number of people – irrespective of whether they are buying or renting.

“As a community we need to invest to fulfil shared aspirations to provide and sustain vibrant and inclusive communities and strong local economies.

“It is important the community housing sector and partners have certainty to increase housing supply for our growing population, including the thousands of people experiencing housing insecurity in Greater Sydney.

“Funding for the maintenance and upgrade of social housing properties, including Aboriginal Community Housing, and permanent accommodation for tenants in the Together Home program are a step in the right direction.

SGCH, and the community housing sector, continue to work in close partnership with the NSW Government.

“We see the shared responsibility and opportunity to work in partnership and develop solutions for low-income renters including strategies to attract increased private sector investment.

“Together, we need to address structural reforms and deliver a well-capitalised national social and affordable housing system that has the capacity to meet longer-term demand.

“SGCH looks forward to working with private sector partners, investors and the Federal and NSW Governments to mobilise a meaningful scale of investment into more social and affordable homes.”

ENDS