How You Can Help Fight the Housing Crisis

The issue

In NSW, 62 per cent of low-income households are experiencing rental stress. The waiting list for public housing (for eligible households) contains 55,000 names. In some areas of NSW, there is a 10-year waiting list for housing.

Vulnerable people of all ages are affected by the severe shortage of affordable housing in NSW. Without stable housing, it is hard to care for family, gain employment, or remain engaged with education or training.

 Click here to read about The Battle for Housing Affordability

Our response

The Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of NSW and the ACT, along with UnitingCare, support increasing the supply of social and affordable housing in NSW. As such, we will:

• Work with Sydney Alliance — in the lead-up to the March 2015 State election — on its proposals to improve housing affordability.
• Engage with NSW Government on further options for social investment in affordable housing and support.
• Support the longer-term work within UnitingCare NSW/ACT and the Uniting Church, to develop economically sustainable financial models. These will enable us to contribute to increasing the supply of affordable housing.

How you can get involved

The Social Justice Forum will create opportunities for Congregations and individuals to participate in the Table Talks held by Sydney Alliance and other advocacy organisations.

The Forum aims to host 130 Table Talks about affordable housing across NSW and the ACT. To help find solutions to the housing crisis, you should join other members of the Uniting Church as these events. For more information about Table Talks, or if you and your church would be interested in hosting a Table Talk, please email socialjustice@unitingcarenswact.org.au. You can keep in touch with all the Social Justice Forum’s work and programs, by contacting the above email address.

Alternatively, you can call Social Justice Advocacy Coordinator, Jon O’Brien, on 02 9407 3225.

Click here to read about Standing Up for Social Justice

Click here to read about Giving Hope to Asylum Seekers