As part of our work to address the housing crisis and deliver more new social and affordable homes in the Illawarra, Homes NSW is reviewing its social housing portfolio across the Wollongong LGA.
There is an urgent need for housing that better meets the needs of residents and the local community, with a requirement for well-located one- and two-bedroom homes that are safe, comfortable and easier to live in. The majority of current social housing was built in the 1970’s and 1980’s and is less accessible, expensive to operate and maintain and is generally unsuitable for the current tenant waitlist.
The review into Wollongong social housing follows our recent survey in the Wollongong LGA, completed in August 2023. We asked social housing residents about their challenges and lived experience. They told us safety (91%), access to public transport (75%) and access to community facilities/services (74%) were of key importance.
This feedback has helped inform our early work and the feedback from the community will continue to inform our property investigations, with any future rezoning or redevelopment plans to be shared with residents and the local community for further input.
Planning for any renewal projects will be done in collaboration with social housing residents, local community organisations, Wollongong City Council, the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council and the community housing sector.
How do we support people in a housing crisis? One way is through renewal.
More information
For more information on how we support communities through renewal, please contact the Community Engagement team on 1800 738 718 or communityengagement@homes.nsw.gov.au.
