Demand for social housing in the Hunter continues to rise with more people than ever facing the prospect of homelessness, new figures show.
Analysis by the Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA) has revealed an increase in the number of people seeking priority social housing across the region.
The priority housing list is for people who are at imminent risk of homelessness.
CHIA NSW chief executive Mark Degotardi said an urgent injection of new funding was needed in this week's state budget to help tackle the social housing crisis.
"There simply aren't enough homes available across the Newcastle and Hunter regions to get people into," CHIA NSW chief executive Mark Degotardi said.
"Many people are languishing for more than a decade in some suburbs and regions."
CHIA figures show:
- Raymond Terrace is the region's highest centre of need. It recorded a 167 per cent increase in people in need of priority housing and a 60 per cent increase in the general waiting list over the past three years.
- Maitland recorded a 140 per cent increase in people on the priority list and a 20 per cent increase in the general list applications.
- Port Stephens had 106 per cent increase in priority list applications and a 33 per cent increase in general applications.
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Newcastle and Lake Macquarie both recorded a 59 per cent increase in priority list applications. Newcastle had a 51 per cent increase in general applications, while Lake Macquarie's general list increased by 36 per cent.
CHIA estimates more than 58,000 families and individuals are waiting for housing across NSW.
Mr Degotardi said the not-for-profit community housing industry was ready to work with all levels of government to deliver housing solutions to get vulnerable people into priority housing.
He said community housing providers have projects that are ready to roll but need the funding to get them started.
"The state budget on June 18 will be a critical one for the Minns Government to show that it is serious-because a housing crisis needs a crisis response. The time for incremental reform and small budget allocations is over," Mr Degotardi said.
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said the government had introduced a series of ambitious reforms to tackle the crisis and to address overall housing supply and affordability.
"I fully recognise the state's housing crisis is at an all-time high and affecting people from all walks of life in NSW including those doing it tough in the Hunter Region," she said.
"You can't tackle the housing crisis without a strong social and affordable housing system. We need safe, good quality, accessible homes for people who need them most."
She said the government was working with partners including the federal government, peak housing bodies and the private sector to create sustainable housing solutions across the state.
More than a thousand new social and affordable homes could be delivered across NSW as part of a NSW Government application for funding through the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).
Under the proposal, Homes NSW will partner with the federal government and community housing providers to deliver housing projects that assist in addressing the state's housing crisis.
"At present, our applications through the HAFF clearly demonstrate our commitment to innovative solutions in housing delivery. We're HAFF ready and we're eagerly awaiting the funding outcome from Housing Australia so we can get on with the job of creating more homes for people in need," Ms Jackson said.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said on Sunday that a "housing-themed" NSW budget would deliver hundreds of affordable homes for essential workers as the government worked to pull every lever to alleviate the crisis.
A $450 million investment to build apartments for essential workers headlines the Minns Labor Government's budget strategy to tackle the housing crisis head-on.
The plan would allow essential workers, including nurses, paramedics, teachers, allied health care workers, police officers and fire fighters to rent at subsidised rates.
