We recently attended the Confront the Crisis – Housing for All summit on ending homelessness and confronting the housing crisis in NSW.
Confront the Crisis
Confront the Crisis is a campaign by Community Housing Industry Association NSW which calls on each and every MP, each and every party in NSW to confront the housing crisis by committing to real, long-term investment in community housing ahead of the state election this March.
Housing for All Summit
Housing for All – NSW Pre- Election Town Hall event, was organised by Homelessness NSW and The Community Housing Industry Association NSW.
The event, taking place during the NSW state election campaign, was a chance for our political leaders, the sector, and the community to take another step towards a future NSW where everyone in NSW has a safe place to call home.
Hosted by journalist Joe Hildebrand, speakers included:
- Mark Degotardi, Community Housing Industry Association NSW
- Trina Jones, Homelessness NSW
- Hal Pawson, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW
- Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore
- The Hon Rose Jackson, NSW Labor
- Jenny Leong, MP NSW Greens
- Alex Greenwich, MP Independent
- Adina Cirson, The Property Council
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Jenny Leong MP, Alex Greenwich MP and Rose Jackson MP discussing the NSW housing and homelessness crisis and the strategic and collaborative approach needed to solve the problem.
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Key workers are struggling to find a place to live. Young people are losing hope. “The market will not fix itself. We need government intervention to provide essential affordable housing stock.” – The Hon. Rose Jackson, NSW Shadow Minister for Water, Housing and Homelessness.
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“At the current rate of investment in NSW, it would take around 80 years to build enough social and affordable housing for the households currently on the NSW social housing waitlist.” – Trina Jones from @HomelessnessNSW
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UNSW’s Hal Pawson talking about how NSW net supply of social housing is falling while demand is rising. Census data shows 144,000 households would be eligible for social housing – far more than the official NSW social housing waitlist shows.
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City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and CHIA NSW and @HomelessnessNSW Housing for All event calling for sustained government investment in social and affordable housing.
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“We have an opportunity to maximise the investment from the Housing Australia Future Fund.” 8,000 people joined the NSW social housing waitlist last year. CHIA NSW’s @MarkDegotardi says now is the time for action.
Next steps