Housing organisations have welcomed a NSW Labor election commitment to merge three existing housing agencies, but say the critical issue remains a shortage of supply.
Labor has revealed plans to merge the Land and Housing Corporation, Aboriginal Housing Office and Department of Communities and Justice Housing into one entity called Homes NSW.
Opposition leader Chris Minns said there was too much red tape in the system, with more than 50,000 people on the waiting list for social housing in NSW.
"We have a housing crisis that needs urgent attention," Mr Minns said. "The creation of this single agency will ensure decisions are made, implemented and evaluated in the one place."
The Land and Housing Corporation is responsible for building and maintaining social housing and manages a portfolio of more than 125,000 properties across the state. The Department of Communities and Justice Housing deals with tenants and manages the Housing Register wait list and the Aboriginal Housing Office deals with Aboriginal housing.
Home in Place spokesperson Martin Kennedy said it was "probably not ideal" to have multiple government agencies for social housing.
"There is certain logic to having a single entity," Mr Kennedy said. "You would expect there would be some operational efficiencies.
"The risk is with government departments merging, you lose a year or so with the business of changing the machinery of government.
"We will have to wait and see. It is potentially going to be transformative, but it would be good to see how."
The Community Housing Industry Association NSW said it welcomed the idea. But CHIA and Home in Place want more social housing investment as a priority.
"It needs to be coupled with a commitment to increase supply," Mr Kennedy said.
"There are 50,000 households that have met all of the eligibility criteria for social housing but they don't have it because there isn't enough.
"The primary reason there's a massive shortage is the funds aren't available to deliver homes.
"I do have sympathy for state governments. They really do need the help of the federal government, but they do need to have credible supply targets of their own."
"More work needs to be done in providing secure, long-term and affordable rental accommodation," CHIA NSW CEO Mark Degotardi said. "The problem is not just too much bureaucracy, it is too little government funding."
CHIA NSW is running a campaign called 'Confront the Crisis' on the housing shortage in the lead up to the state election in March.
The organisation will today launch an appeal to its membership base to garner more support in calling for MPs to take action.
"The housing crisis is looming as a serious challenge we face as a state, and it is emerging as a critical issue in the upcoming NSW election," Mr Degotardi said.
"We call on candidates across electorates to commit to confronting the crisis and give this issue the attention it deserves."
