Dear members of parliament who represent the citizens of NSW,
For decades, NSW has underinvested in building social and affordable housing so today we have 50,000 plus households representing 100,000 people on the social housing waitlist.
They may be people with a chronic illness or disability, or a single parent with children and no extended family support. The private rental market is out of reach, but social housing is simply not available.
An estimated 54,000 households have entered or experienced a worsening of housing stress since the start of the pandemic.
We call on you as a matter of urgency to:
- Rapidly scale up housing supply.
- Ensure extended tenant support.
- Establish a state-led integrated planning pathway.
The current crisis is a matter of human suffering for too many NSW citizens. It is NOT JUST A ROOF – it is a necessity for thriving communities. And we remind you that access to affordable, safe, healthy and secure rental housing is a human right.