Our Publication Guide will tell you about:
- Our function
- Our structure
- The services we provide to the people of NSW
- The kind of government information we will make available to you
- How you can access this information
- If there are charges related to the information you seek
Structure and functions
Housing NSW is an agency within the Department of Family and Community Services.
Housing NSW operates under the Housing Act 2001 to manage the NSW Government housing portfolio and develop broader housing strategies for the people of NSW. The Housing Act 2001 is administered jointly by the Minister for Finance and Services and the Minister for Family and Community Services.
The organisational structure of Housing NSW is: Housing NSW Organisational structure (PDF file, 768KB).
Housing NSW works towards its purpose - to help build a stronger community by providing housing solutions for people in need in NSW.
Housing NSW:
- Works with other government agencies and other non government organisations to address homelessness in NSW
- Manages the NSW public housing portfolio
- Funds and regulates the provision of community housing and crisis accommodation
- Manages Aboriginal public housing for the Aboriginal Housing Office
- Plays a key role in developing policy and supporting relationships to increase access to the supply of affordable housing across NSW
- Provides a range of products and services to assist people into the private rental market including home ownership and;
- Provides policy advice to the Government and manages the Housing Act 2001 and associated legislation.
Housing NSW actively encourages tenants to get involved and play a part in shaping the delivery of public housing through the Tenant Participation Program. Housing NSW also has a Social Housing Tenants Advisory Committee which comprises of social housing tenants who provide feedback and comments to help improve our service delivery, operations, help improve our polices and increase our tenant satisfaction.
For further information you may wish to access Housing NSW’s Tenant Participation web page, which includes a link to the Social Housing Tenants Advisory Committee, or you may contact the Secretariat of the Committee at secretariat@housing.nsw.gov.au.
Registrar of Community Housing
Housing NSW is the portfolio agency for the Registrar of Community Housing, an independent statutory officer responsible for administering the regulatory system for Community Housing providers. As part of Open Access Information, the Registrar will make available at no cost to the public various information from the Registrar for Community Housing website.
The services we provide to the people of New South Wales
Housing NSW is the largest landlord in Australia and provides safe affordable housing options for people that may need assistance in securing accommodation.
We do this by providing:
- Public housing
Property and tenancy management of 128,000 public housing homes and tenancies
- Community housing
Funding of not-for-profit organisations to provide property and tenancy management for more than 13,500 properties. For further information go to: Community Housing Division website
- Aboriginal housing
Property and tenancy management for more than 4200 properties owned by the Aboriginal Housing Office. For further information go to: Aboriginal Housing Office website
- Housing Pathways
A common access system providing simplified client access to social housing through a single application for both public and community housing and single register of social housing applications. For further information go to: Housing Pathways website
- Rental Assistance
We provide bond and rental assistance for families or singles on low incomes wanting to secure a property in the private rental market
- Linking support services
The development of partnerships with other government agencies and community organisations to support households with special needs living in social housing
- Special assistance
The provision of subsidies for people with disabilities or living with HIV/AIDS who rent in the private market
- Home purchase assistance
Advice and financial assistance for home buyers
- Mortgage assistance
The provision of financial help for people facing temporary difficulties in meeting their home loan repayments
- Temporary accommodation
The provision of assistance for people who have been made homeless because of an emergency, personal circumstances or victims of domestic violence
- Affordable housing
The development of low cost housing options with the not-for-profit and private sector. For further information go to: Centre for Affordable Housing website
- Community Renewal
Specific initiatives to reduce concentrations of disadvantage in social housing areas and build more sustainable communities
The kind of information we will make available to you:
Housing NSW will make available to you at no cost on this website (www.housing.nsw.gov.au) “Open Access Information”.
If you are unable to access this information from our website you may contact your local Client Service Office or the Right to Information Unit on (02) 8753 8400 or (02) 8753 8386 to assist you.
Pro-actively released information
Housing NSW will pro-actively make available free of charge to you on this website a range of additional information including the following:
Informal request for information
If you require other information that you were not able to find on our website or have any questions relating to the informal release of information, you may contact the Right to Information Unit on (02) 8753 8400 or 8753 8386 who will assist you. Housing NSW reserves the right to ask you to lodge a formal access application in accordance the with Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.
Other information that may generally be available as an informal request and at no cost to you includes:
- Information that has been made publicly available in the past
- Copy of your Tenancy Agreement with Housing NSW
- Property Condition Report relating to your tenancy
- Copy of your Rental Account Statement
- Copy of a letter you provided to Housing NSW
- Copy of your Housing assistance forms
Housing NSW reserves the right to impose time limits and conditions of the use of this information. See Informal Request for Information form and Policy.
Formal Access request (previously known as Freedom of Information requests)
You have a legal right to lodge an access application with Housing NSW relating to other information. Access applications formerly known as (Freedom of Information requests) are subject to fees and charges. See Formal Access Application form and policy.
There is certain information that Housing NSW cannot release regardless of a formal access request. Information that will not be released is prescribed in Schedule 1 of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 and includes the following:
- Cabinet Information
- Executive Council Information
- Contempt
- Legal Professional Privilege
A formal access application may be made for other government information including all your records relating to your tenancy with Housing NSW or information relating to other housing assistance you may have received from us. On occasions there will be information that will not be released if there is an overriding public interest against disclosure.
For further information or assistance you may contact the Right to Information Unit, Housing NSW on (02) 8753 8400 or (02) 8753 8386.
You may also obtain information from the Office of the Information Commissioner NSW at www.oic.nsw.gov.au
Top of page