HAFF achieves strong first-round response with $9.2bn commitment

Housing Australia has greenlit an initial slate of 185 projects under the government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) and National Housing Accord Facility (NHAF), with $9.2 billion committed to delivering over 13,700 new social and affordable homes across the country.

In a statement this week, Housing Australia said this investment marks a major milestone, contributing more than one-third towards the program’s ambitious five-year goal of 40,000 homes.

The chosen projects will now advance to contract negotiations, with Housing Australia expected to notify applicants of the outcomes for the first funding round of the program immediately.

Among the notable inclusions are over 4,200 social and affordable homes, with 1,300 specifically earmarked for women and children fleeing domestic violence and older women facing homelessness. Approximately 700 of these homes are set to be completed within this financial year to offer immediate housing solutions for those in urgent need.

Housing Australia chair Carol Austin said: “Housing Australia would like to acknowledge the strong response to the first funding round and tremendous efforts of those organisations that have applied. As a result, this funding round has the potential to deliver more than 13,700 social and affordable homes across the country, helping more Australians to access affordable, safe and secure housing.

“The Housing Australia team is committed to working with applicants to take preferred projects forward while working with the community housing sector, industry and government to shape future funding rounds and deliver more housing under the HAFF and the NHAF.”

Also commenting on the HAFF’s most significant piece of news to date, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “I grew up in social housing – I know how important a roof over your head is and the opportunities it creates”.

“The first round of funding under our Housing Australia Future Fund will deliver thousands of social and affordable homes across Australia for those that need it most.”

Liberal senator and shadow assistant minister for home ownership Andrew Bragg has previously described HAFF as a “failed supply policy”. This week’s HAFF-related Labor announcement clearly shows that housing is emerging as a pivotal issue in the looming election.

The HAFF has also recently faced some controversy as the Coalition pushes to amend the law governing the initiative to exclude Cbus from participating, due to its connections with the Construction, Forestry, and Maritime Employees Union.