Industry, council welcome Bexley North social housing development

The $8.4 million social housing development, located on a previously vacant block on the corner of New Illawarra and Bexley Roads, will house up to 36 vulnerable community members.

The development has 12 one-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom units, with 22 basement car spaces.

Bayside Mayor, Joe Awada, said the council welcomed the initiative to provide quality, well-located homes for vulnerable families and people in need.

"Together with our own housing strategy and Affordable Rental Housing program, we are working to meet the housing needs of people on lower incomes," the mayor said.

There is a bus stop directly outside the complex, and the local Woolworths and Bexley North railway station are within walking distance. The development includes solar panel systems and two central rainwater tanks for irrigation.

CHIA NSW CEO, Mark Degotardi, told the Leader that the organisation welcomed the homes, but more social housing investment was needed to fight the housing crisis for low-income families, retirees and key workers.

"With 50,000 households on the NSW social housing waitlist, we need the NSW Government to continue funding developments like these in the upcoming NSW Budget," he said.

"With more government funding, our sector can help build new homes faster and cheaper than for-profit developers to address this need."

Mr Degotardi said the new homes added to the 450 homes managed by community housing providers around Bayside and the 64 homes the sector had built in the Georges River area.

"Developments like these not only create new homes, they drive local investment and new jobs," he said.

The NSW Government said the three and four-storey apartment buildings were built to a high standard with special acoustic treatments to reduce traffic noise, along with lifts in both buildings.

Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey said the development created around 40 jobs during construction and provided new homes less than half an hour from the centre of Sydney.

"It's another great example of the modern and attractive social housing which is being delivered by the NSW Government across Sydney," Mrs Pavey said.