Frequently asked questions

The NSW Government will be delivering a significant boost to the new housing as part of the renewal of the Waterloo Estate, with the number of social and affordable homes at Waterloo South increasing to 50% of the project – an uplift of up to 500 new homes from the previous plan.

This commitment is part of the government's broader efforts to increase the supply of social and affordable housing and provide secure, long-term homes for vulnerable people in the community.

We acknowledge that housing plays a critical role in social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal communities and so we are committing a minimum of 15% of all new social and affordable housing will be dedicated for Aboriginal people, helping to keep them on Country and work towards closing the housing gap.

Yes, under the new government, the Waterloo South renewal will deliver up to 500 new homes.

In addition, 70 new social homes will be built next door at the Waterloo Metro Quarter, and around 95 more social homes will be delivered nearby at Elizabeth Street, Redfern.

This means that there will be an increase of around 665 social and affordable homes in the immediate area.

Over the next 30 years, we’ll be redeveloping the Waterloo Estate.

Our aim is to deliver a vibrant place to live, work and visit that is close to jobs and transport.

The redevelopment will be home to a mix of social housing tenants, private property owners and people on low and middle incomes who provide essential services for our city, such as nurses, childcare workers, teachers, and police.

It will also create more community facilities and green spaces for tenants and Waterloo locals. The project capitalises on the new Waterloo Metro Station to ensure tenants have easy access to shops and multiple modes of transport.

Waterloo Estate is an important part of Sydney’s social housing story. However, the buildings are between 40 and 70 years old, and many are nearing the end of their intended lifespan and do not meet the changing housing needs of current tenants.

Many of the homes in Waterloo do not meet contemporary accessibility and sustainability standards, and they are also increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain.

We understand the needs for more open space, better community facilities, and shops that suit tenants. Therefore, more local, community-focused services can make it easier to do everyday things, like grocery shopping and meeting up with friends.

This project is important not just for tenants but also for creating new jobs, homes, and community spaces close to the Sydney CBD.

The Waterloo Renewal will enhance the strength and diversity of Waterloo, a unique urban village on Gadigal Land. The renewal will deliver new homes, community places, and green spaces which prioritise the health and wellbeing of social housing tenants and more sustainable mixed communities.

The project objectives are:

• More and better social housing: deliver more and better social housing in mixed communities to meet the needs of tenants now and in the future
• Positive outcomes for tenants: create a place that supports tenants’ health and wellbeing and sensitively manages change over time
• Outcomes for Aboriginal people: prioritise outcomes for the Redfern – Waterloo Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through planning, delivery, and operations.
• An authentic sense of place: building on Waterloos past and current strengths to create an authentic, distinctive, and welcoming place.
• Environmental sustainability: support a community that is resilient to climate change and carbon positive.
• Strong collaboration: collaborate with the community, not-for-profit and private sectors to deliver social and housing outcomes.

The renewal of Waterloo is led by the NSW Government in collaboration with a renewal partner consortium including a developer and community housing provider(s) to be appointed in 2024.

The Waterloo Estate Renewal is expected to take up to 30 years. It will be completed in three stages: Waterloo South, Waterloo Central and Waterloo North.

Waterloo South is the first stage of the renewal.

We are currently going through the procurement process to select the renewal partner consortium which includes a developer and social housing provider(s) to partner with us and deliver on the project vision and objectives for Waterloo South.

We are getting closer to the appointment of a renewal partner to deliver the Waterloo South Renewal. The following consortiums have progressed to the final round of the process:

• Stockland Development Pty Ltd / Link Wentworth Housing Limited / City West Housing Pty Limited / Birribee Housing Limited
• Lendlease Development Pty Limited / St George Community Housing Limited

The successful consortium is expected to be announced mid-2024.

The renewal partner will not only deliver new buildings and infrastructure but will also collaborate with the government to support tenants through change and create a vibrant and mixed inner-city community with a real sense of place.

Waterloo South is the first stage of the project and covers about 65% of the Waterloo Estate.

On completion, it will include around 3,000 new homes – made up of social, affordable, and private housing – as well as new and improved parks, open spaces, and retail and community facilities.

No. Part of the success of mixed housing communities is that social and private housing are indistinguishable. For more information, explore Good Design for Social Housing and the Land and Housing Corporation Dwelling Requirements (PDF, 421.67 KB).

The social housing will be appropriately sized to provide quality housing that meets the needs of current and future Waterloo tenants. All homes will be built to Silver Level Standard of the Liveable Housing Design Guidelines to increase accessibility.

New social and affordable housing at Waterloo will be managed by a Community Housing Provider (to be appointed as part of the process of finding a development partner).