June 17 2023
Homelessness NSW and Shelter NSW endorse the NSW Government's commitment to abandon the flawed scheme to redevelop and extensively privatisation the Franklyn Estate in Glebe and to now more than double the amount of public housing from 17 homes to 43 from the redevelopment 82 Wentworth Park Road in Glebe.
"Urgently building more public housing is an integral part of fixing the homelessness crisis we are experiencing in NSW," said Homelessness NSW CEO Trina Jones.
"We welcome the Government's commitment to keeping both these important site in public hands, while ensuring tenants have secure, accessible and energy-efficient homes to live in.
"Right now the waiting list for social housing is more than 10 years.
"For the growing number of people sleeping in cars and tents, and women living with violent partners, that is an impossibly long time.
"Over the long-term the Government must ensure that 10 per cent of housing in the state is social housing.
"This move to more than double the number of homes at this site and make them accessible is a good start."
NSW Shelter CEO John Engeler said: "This is a long-term significant win for the greater community of Glebe. Abandoning the unwarranted plan for privatisation of Franklyn Street Estate and committing to keeping 82 Wentworth Park Rd as 100 per cent public housing is commendable. Building at least 43 secure, efficient and accessible homes on this site will bring us one step closer to ensuring everyone has a safe place to call home.
"Although ideally all additional new housing should be on new sites, the growing housing crisis requires more urgent attention. It needs innovative, new local neighbourhood solutions like this.
"The new homes can be built quickly and made available to previous tenants as well as many more new ones. Involving applicants on the waiting list in the final design and decisions about the fit-out of their home marks a new level of co-design and meaningful engagement.
"We are grateful for the minister's consultation and commitment to retain the much loved Franklyn Estate and acknowledge the Government's dedication to tackling the housing crisis and reducing the social housing waitlist."
Key facts
- 68,500 people were supported by Specialist Homelessness Services in NSW in 2022
- NSW currently builds an average 34,000 residential dwellings per year
- Approximately 700, or just 2%, are social housing
- At the current rate of social housing investment, it will take over 80 years to meet the current demand of the waiting list
- At the February street count, Sydney LGA recorded a 23% increase in people sleeping rough
