A striking new public housing development in Sydney‘s west is being hailed as a glimpse into the future of government housing – and a far cry from the grim concrete towers of decades past.
Gone are the notorious concrete blocks and crime-ridden corridors, and in their place stand architect-designed apartments that look more like luxury rentals than public housing.
The high-rise estates of the 1960s and 70s, built to house the city’s most vulnerable, became symbols of neglect and decay, trapping residents in cramped spaces with little quality of life.
Fast-forward to today, and the new Blacktown development marks a sharp break from that history.
The one- and two-bedroom units feature open-plan living areas, modern kitchens and bathrooms, landscaped gardens, and easy access to schools, shops, parks, and public transport.
It’s part of a broader NSW Government strategy to boost public housing supply by replacing outdated estates with modern, mixed-income developments that combine social housing, private rentals, and owner-occupied homes.
The aim is to reduce the stigma of living in public housing by creating diverse, integrated neighbourhoods rather than isolated ‘housing commission’ towers.
Among the largest of these projects is the $3billion redevelopment of the Waterloo Estate, Australia’s biggest social housing precinct, which will include about 1,000 social homes, 600 affordable homes, and 1,500 private dwellings.
The design of new social homes (pictured) in Sydney’s western suburbs have been praised for their modern design but many are wondering how much did it cost taxpayers
The one and two bedroom units are designed for comfort and connection with open living areas, modern kitchens and bathrooms and landscaped gardens
The upmarket design of these new homes has been praised as a step forward in tackling Sydney’s growing social housing crisis,
Yet while the upmarket design of these new homes has been praised as a step forward in tackling Sydney’s growing social housing crisis, critics argue it strays from the original mission of public housing, to provide simple, no-frills shelter for the most vulnerable.
Others say taxpayer dollars would be better spent on building more homes, not pricier ones, to help as many people as possible.
Other critics argue the new homes are so high-quality they rival properties most private renters could only dream of, and that taxpayer funds would be better used building simpler homes to help more people overall.
‘A lot of people believe that just because you can’t afford to buy your own home, why should you be treated like a second-class citizen and put into an absolute basic dump,’ social commentator Prue McSween said.
‘But when you think of it from the taxpayer’s perspective, we know that the homeless situation is huge. We should be really making sure we get bang for every buck we spend.’
Ms McSween said there were countless stories of families living in tents and cars who would be grateful for a roof over their head.
‘They would be so grateful for anything that had a lock-up door, a couple of bedrooms, and a kitchen, toilet, and bathroom,’ she said.
‘They don’t need or want to be spoiled with lavish things.’
A NSW Department of Communities and Justice Facebook post spruiking the new homes in Blacktown, which will house around 21 people, has sparked a flurry of reactions ranging from glowing praise to sharp criticism.
The new units feature comfortable outdoor areas
It’s in stark contrast to the social housing blocks of yesteryear
Waterloo’s concrete housing towers turned into a breeding ground for crime
‘They appear incredibly fancy and I wonder if less money was spent then maybe more basic housing could be built leading to more people being housed,’ said one.
‘Gorgeous l’d swap my place for that,’ said another.
Others questioned the spending, pointing to the number of boarded-up public housing properties awaiting repair.
‘Repair boarded housing homes to new and put tenants there instead of wasting tax payers dollars,’ said one.
‘There would have to be at least 100 houses across the Illawarra boarded up. How about getting these back into a livable state to take some pressure off,’ said another.
Despite unprecedented investment in social housing, waiting lists remain stubbornly long, with around 50,000 people waiting for public housing – the majority in Sydney.
The state government’s $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW program aims to build 8,400 new social homes over the next four years across the state, including in Tolland, Eveleigh, Cooma, Redfern, Glebe and Liverpool.
Last week, the Minns Government released a 10-year plan to reform and rebuild the public housing system to tackle long waitlists, poor maintenance and insecure housing that have left too many people without support.
At least half of the new homes will be allocated to women and children escaping domestic and family violence.
The plan also includes upgrades to 30,000 existing homes to make them safer, more modern and more energy efficient.
Housing Minister Rose Jackson (pictured) said the era of people left waiting for social housing and living in homes that were falling apart is over
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said that for too long, NSW has been let down by a system that is outdated and unfair.
She said tenants deserve homes that support their lives, not make them harder.
‘People were left waiting, living in homes that were falling apart, treated as numbers instead of neighbours,’ she said.
‘That era is now over.
‘No more long waits, no more insecure tenancies, and no more leaving people to navigate a system that doesn’t meet their needs.’
Shelter NSW chief executive John Engeler said it was vital to transform the social housing system, with more than one in 30 people in NSW living in social housing.
‘The call is significant – how to move from being, not just the biggest landlord, but to being the best one,’ he said.
