Sleeping rough has increased by 51 per cent in NSW in the past four years. Photo: Dominic Giannini.
Homelessness NSW is urging the State Government to act on short-term rental reform.
Early last year, the government launched a review into possible changes to regulations regarding short-term rentals. It received more than 430 submissions and 2400 survey responses, yet there has been no further update on the progress of the review.
Homelessness NSW CEO Dominique Rowe has written to Ministers Paul Scully and Rose Jackson, calling for the government to match Victoria’s 7.5 per cent levy on income collected by short-term rental providers such as Airbnb, Stayz and Expedia.
“The housing and homelessness crisis is severe and devastating,” Ms Rowe said. ”We cannot afford a go-slow approach to reform.
“Every day of delay is another day that people are forced to sleep in cars and tents, and women and children are trapped in unsafe homes because they have nowhere else to go.
“A levy on short-term accommodation would encourage long-term rental availability and would raise much-needed funds that should be directed to overwhelmed and under-resourced homelessness services.”
In NSW, 67,000 people sought help from homelessness services in 2024. Many were turned away due to lack of funding. In the past four years, there has been a 51 per cent increase in those sleeping rough and 64,000 individuals are on the social housing waitlist.
“Homelessness is rising at an alarming rate, particularly among First Nations people, young people, and survivors of domestic violence,” Ms Rowe said.
“We are seeing a severe shortage of affordable rental properties, pricing more and more people out of the private market and into homelessness. The government must act now to turn the tide on this crisis.”
For those at risk of homelessness, the NSW Government offers services to help.
