Develop affordable rental housing

The NSW Government supports the development of affordable housing that is targeted to very low, low and moderate income earners. It does this in a range of ways, including:

• Providing floor space incentives for developments which contain affordable housing through the planning mechanism of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021 (Housing SEPP)
• Facilitating other incentives for developments which contain affordable housing via mechanisms such as negotiated/voluntary planning agreements
• Offering financial and other incentives, in partnership with the Commonwealth Government, to build and rent new properties at below market rents, for example via National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS)
• Making grants available to assist construction of new affordable rental housing through the Community Housing Innovation Fund and Social and Affordable Housing Fund
• Encouraging partnerships between community housing providers, local government and others, including private developers, on affordable housing projects
• Providing assistance to councils to secure affordable housing.

It is important to reiterate that affordable housing (as a discount to market rent product) commonly requires a subsidy or assistance from one or more levels of Government to make development feasible.  Generally, a range of measures and partners will be required for an affordable housing project to stack up financially.

The section on examples of affordable housing projects provides more information.

For more information about affordable housing, or if you have a question, contact us at CAH@homes.nsw.gov.au.