A new modular housing model is being rolled out in New South Wales to help alleviate the social housing crisis. The project includes rapid construction techniques and aims to provide homes for people on the waiting list.

Lake Macquarie City Council

A new approach to social housing is underway in New South Wales, with modular homes being constructed to address the growing demand for affordable accommodation. Tenants have already moved into several of these homes in Wollongong, and plans are in place to expand the initiative to Shell Harbour and Lake Macquarie, with at least 150 people expected to benefit.

The modular homes can be assembled significantly faster than traditional builds, with prototypes completed in just a few days. The state government is supporting the project, and officials have toured demonstration homes to assess their quality and efficiency. The initiative aims to streamline the development process and provide quicker relief for those on the social housing waiting list.

Modular housing initiative aims to address social housing shortage

From factory floor to front door, a new model of social housing is moving in fast. Tenants are already living in these three in Wollongong. And they love them. People are really desperate for housing right now. It keeps me awake at night that we have tens of thousands of people still on the social housing waiting list. At least 150 of them could soon call these modular houses home. Ten will be built in Shell Harbour and Lake Macquarie by the end of the year, with some 80 more in the pipeline over the next 12 months. We should have been doing this work for years. The previous government wasn't interested in confronting the housing crisis, had waved the white flag. It is a sad thing in many respects that we are asking the next generation to accept a lower standard of housing accommodation than their parents. Today the Premier and Housing Minister toured other innovative demo homes, this one a single unit, to see what's possible. Really beautiful work guys, really well done, incredibly high quality. This prototype came together over four days, but builders say with a bit of practice they'll be snapping them together within hours. The whole four-storey block done in a week. That's a far cry from the 18 or so months traditional builds can take. The company behind it has told Chris Minns it's looking at the newly announced pattern book for inspiration. We could get to the point in the not-too-distant future where you've got a quickly built home and a 10-day development assessment application, in which case we can start to turn homes over really, really quickly. The Australian dream in kit form. Tallulah Thompson, 10 News.

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