Long-term, subsidised rental housing is provided to assist people who have extreme difficulty in accessing housing in the private housing market. The collective term for this type of housing is ‘social housing’ which in New South Wales includes:

• ‘public housing’ managed by the Department of Communities and Justice
• ‘community housing’ managed by non-government organisations (social housing providers)
• housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples owned by the Aboriginal Housing Office and managed by the Department of Communities and Justice or Aboriginal social housing providers.

The 2016 Future Directions for Social Housing strategy sets out the NSW Government’s ten-year vision for social housing. The $1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund is a key initiative under Future Directions and is expected to provide 3,400 new social and affordable dwellings by the end of 2023. The 2020–21 State Budget allocated a further $812 million for new and upgraded social housing across New South Wales. This is intended to deliver a further 1,280 new social homes and Aboriginal housing, place-based redevelopment projects at some existing housing estates, and upgrades to over 3,500 social housing dwellings.

This audit may consider the effectiveness and efficiency of the strategic planning and administration of public housing, delivery and outcomes of the Future Directions strategy, and related additional funding and transfer of housing to community providers.