The federal government has signed and closed the contracts for successful projects that emerged from the latest round of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).
Between the HAFF and the National Housing and Affordable Housing Facility (NHAF), 279 successful projects will support 9284 social and 9366 affordable homes across Australia.
Both rounds of funding are administered by Housing Australia, which said that the first round, launched in 2024, aimed to attract innovative proposals that would secure all preferred projects by June 2025.
The organisation said it had reflected on its lessons from the first round for its second round, which opened in late December 2024, and expedited the procurement and contracting process, resulting in all contracts being closed by June 30. The second round also had a specific focus on social housing projects, resulting in the approval of 5001 social homes in both metro and regional locations.
Projects are offered a combination of availability payments, concessional loans, and grants, with total commitment of both funding adding up to $14 billion.
Housing Australia chair, Carol Austin said that the organisation will continue to improve and refine its programs, as it did for its round two funding.
Housing Australia chief executive, Scott Langford, said, “Together with state and territory governments, CHPs (community housing providers) and their industry partners, we have seen a strong commitment to innovate and deliver long term housing solutions.
“We will continue working with partners and refine future funding rounds, unlocking homes and investment to ensure more Australians can access social and affordable housing as quickly as possible.”
Housing and Homelessness Minister Clare O’Neil said the fund was about looking after Australians who are doing it tough, while also contributing to the overall housing supply.
She had said in a joint statement with the NSW Government that “this is what happens when governments stop making excuses and start building solutions.”
“Whether it’s a mum and her kids escaping domestic violence, a veteran struggling to find affordable housing, or a frontline worker priced out of their own community – these homes will give people the foundation they need to rebuild their lives.”
“We’re working with the NSW government and community housing providers to create a pipeline of homes that will make a real difference for decades to come.”
Outcome of funding by round 1 and round 2
| Jurisdiction | Social dwellings (combined Round One and Two) | Affordable dwellings (Round One) | Round One $ Total funding amount ($’000,000) | Round Two $ Total funding amount ($’000,000) |
| Qld | 1,265 | 929 | $1,044 | $766 |
| NSW | 2,909 | 1,941 | $2,655 | $1,193 |
| ACT | 305 | 589 | $500 | $66 |
| VIC | 2,551 | 2,867 | $3,324 | $991 |
| TAS | 398 | 220 | $424 | $116 |
| SA | 512 | 749 | $651 | $216 |
| WA | 1,222 | 2,031 | $1,572 | $364 |
| NT | 122 | 40 | $60 | $79 |
| TOTAL | 9,284 | 9,366 | $10,230 | $3,791 |
Note: Total funding amounts are rounded off
Earlier this year, housing provider Evolve Housing named itself the “most successful recipient in NSW achieving 1000 of the 3323 dwellings awarded in NSW under Round 1 of the HAFFF” – after being awarded 10 projects.
Behind the rosy outlook there could be a shortfall
With a total of 18,650 homes in the pipeline, the organisation said it is positive step towards the program’s five year target of 20,000 social and 20,000 affordable dwellings.
The target will also contribute to a broader promise by the Labor government to create 55,000 social and affordable homes by 30 June 2029.
However, several economists told The Australian that projections are falling short of the Labor government’s targets.
These included Master Builders Australia chief economist Shane Garrett, Oliver Hume chief economist Matt Bell and Commonwealth Bank chief economist Luke Yeaman.
Bell said he was expecting the housing target to be missed by at least 25 per cent and pointed to Labor falling short of its National Housing Accord Target of its 240,000 new dwellings a year, and as at the end of 2024, dwelling completions sat at 177,000.