*[…] A Monday announcement that 13,700 new homes would be supported through the government’s flagship Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) was made before grants were finalised and, in some cases, before successful applicants were told.*
*While a government spokesperson and industry sources said that was standard practice, it has left some uncertainty about the timeline for construction.*
*On Monday, Housing Minister Clare O’Neil accused the Coalition and the Greens of pushing back that timeline by delaying the establishment of the HAFF, which became law one year ago only after a difficult passage through parliament.*
*”If that had not happened, we’d be handing keys to tenants already in some of these properties,” she said.*
*But figures provided to the government and obtained by the ABC show just 5 per cent of the approved projects are expected to be completed within one year. Most of the 13,700 are not due until mid-2026 at least.*
*[…] A survey conducted by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) found community and private housing developers were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the prospect of accessing long-term payments and interest-free loans.*
*But developers were sceptical that the government’s target for Housing Australia to fund the construction of 40,000 new social and affordable homes in five years could be met unless states and territories reformed their planning laws.*
*They also face political uncertainty, with the Coalition committed to rolling back the fund should it form government.*
*That could threaten the viability of many of the projects, compounded by the fact that most of the developers who responded to the survey were also drawing on Housing Australia’s cheap debt finance, making them doubly reliant on public support.*
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Excerpts from [article](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-17/government-unsure-of-size-of-social-housing-spend/104358472) by political reporter Tom Crowley:
*[…] A Monday announcement that 13,700 new homes would be supported through the government’s flagship Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) was made before grants were finalised and, in some cases, before successful applicants were told.*
*While a government spokesperson and industry sources said that was standard practice, it has left some uncertainty about the timeline for construction.*
*On Monday, Housing Minister Clare O’Neil accused the Coalition and the Greens of pushing back that timeline by delaying the establishment of the HAFF, which became law one year ago only after a difficult passage through parliament.*
*”If that had not happened, we’d be handing keys to tenants already in some of these properties,” she said.*
*But figures provided to the government and obtained by the ABC show just 5 per cent of the approved projects are expected to be completed within one year. Most of the 13,700 are not due until mid-2026 at least.*
*[…] A survey conducted by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) found community and private housing developers were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the prospect of accessing long-term payments and interest-free loans.*
*But developers were sceptical that the government’s target for Housing Australia to fund the construction of 40,000 new social and affordable homes in five years could be met unless states and territories reformed their planning laws.*
*They also face political uncertainty, with the Coalition committed to rolling back the fund should it form government.*
*That could threaten the viability of many of the projects, compounded by the fact that most of the developers who responded to the survey were also drawing on Housing Australia’s cheap debt finance, making them doubly reliant on public support.*