Sydney 30 July 2013. The NSW Auditor General released a performance report today that highlights a number of shortfalls in the way that the social housing system is operating.

“The report leads one to doubt how effective the recently announced bedroom tax will be when it comes into operation. While the aim is to free up larger housing stock, single households now comprise of 60 per cent of all tenancies. CPSA asks where these people with spare bedrooms will be moved to?” said Senior Policy Advisor, Amelia Christie.

As at 31 August 2012, 8,443 public housing tenants were waiting for relocation due to a change of circumstance[1].

“It also very concerning that despite the increased need for repairs due to ageing housing stock, overall maintenance expenditure has dropped over the last decade with 30 – 40 per cent of properties not “well-maintained”[2]. Many public housing tenants are now living in substandard conditions and should have a right to an adequately maintained home.

Despite the public housing waitlist currently sitting at 55,000 households, in the last financial year over 500 properties were sold off (and over 5,500 in the ten years prior).

“The lack of affordable housing is reaching a crisis point. The median rent for an apartment in Sydney is now $470 per week, well above the $465.70 per week that a single pensioner receives (including rent assistance) and nearing double the amount that someone living on Newstart receives per week. Drastic action needs to be undertaken to ensure that NSW has adequate affordable housing options available to people, and that includes adequate social housing to meet demand,” said Ms Christie.