Senior citizens in Sydney are among the early winners of a giant social housing injection but NSW is being warned it remains well short of ambitious national targets.
Three homes in Riverwood will be turned into five one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units for seniors through the state's $610m share of the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator.
Close to shops and transport, the homes will be complete by September next year.
"This is the second Social Housing Accelerator project we've seen kickstarted into action in just weeks across the nation, and we will continue working with the (NSW) Minns government to get on with the job of delivering more social housing," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
The $6.2 million redevelopment will help NSW add about 1500 social homes, among thousands nationwide.
"This is just the beginning," Premier Chris Minns said.
It better be, developers say - pointing to official housing figures released on Tuesday showing the enormous task ahead.
Approvals rose from 3,361 dwellings in July to 3,802 in August.
But to meet the National Housing Accord's revised targets for completed new homes, NSW would need about 7500 homes approved every month, Urban Taskforce chief executive Tom Forrest said.
"(The) ABS data shows that the NSW planning system remains a very long way from getting close to this," Mr Forrest said.
"We have only nine months to go before the NSW Housing Accord targets of 76,000 completed homes per year kick in."
NSW hasn't come close to 76,000 homes since 2018.
But Mr Minns said his state was ready to ensure every person had a safe and secure roof over their heads.
"Through dedicated funding from the federal government, the new Housing Australia Future Fund, and funding allocated through the NSW state budget, this state is ready to make meaningful change to the social housing sector while getting roofs over the heads of those who desperately need it," he said.
The $2 billion social housing fund was delivered to state and territory coffers in June as the federal Greens played hardball over the passage of Labor's $7 billion Housing Australia Future Fund.
Australian Associated Press
