Australia’s 10 Biggest Social and Affordable Housing Projects

Australian capital cities are now collectively losing 24 affordable houses every day, while the unit market is adding 1.5 affordable apartments each day. It’s a net reduction of 23 affordable homes (characterised as properties valued at less than $750,000) every day, according to Ray White chief economist Nerida Conisbee, who said Sydney was leading the decline with 7.1 homes lost each day, followed by Brisbane and Melbourne. “At current trajectories, Sydney’s mathetmatical path leads to zero affordable houses by 2027,” Conisbee said. “While Brisbane and Melbourne retain larger affordable stocks, their rapid daily losses signal similar endpoint scenarios within the decade.” But with that shortfall comes opportunity, with significant funding and focus from policymakers to correct the structural challenges. The median value of a home in Australia is now $844,197 according to Cotality July data. We take a look at the 10 biggest social and affordable housing projects under construction in 2025, using BCI Central data. Social &amp; Affordable Housing Fund: Phase 2 Address: Various locations within Redfern State: NSW Value: $1.1 billion Construction end: Q4 2025 Accommodation: 1330 units Site Area: - Developers: SGCH Sustainability Ltd, Anglican Community Services, Uniting Care Aged Care, Housing Plus Vic BIG Housing Build - Simmons Street, South Yarra Address: 2 Simmons Street, South Yarra State: Victoria Value: $844 million Completion date: November 2026 Accommodation: 522 units Site Area: 2.49ha Developer: Department of Health &amp; Human Services, Homes Victoria, Community Housing (Vic) Ltd Builder: ICON Funding partner: Building Communities Community housing provider: Building Communities Waterloo Integrated Station Development Address: 59-121 Botany Road 136B Raglan Street 124-174 Cope Street, Waterloo State: NSW Value: $492.66 million Construction end: 2026 Accommodation: 655 residential units, 95 affordable units Site Area: 1.91ha Developer: Mirvac Group, John Holland Group, Scape Student Living Australia Pty Ltd Builder &amp; Funding partner : JV between John Holland Group and Mirvac Group Community housing provider: - Marquet &amp; Mary Address: 1-9 Marquet Street, 4 Mary Street Rhodes State: NSW Value: $341.02 million Construction end: June 2027 Accommodation: 226 apartments, 48 affordable units Site Area: 0.292ha Developer: Deicorp Pty Ltd Builder &amp; Funding Partner: Deicorp Community housing provider: - Vic BIG Housing Build - Barak Beacon, Port Melbourne Address: Barak Road &amp; Beacon Road, Port Melbourne State: Victoria Value: $300 million Construction end: Q1 2027 Accommodation: 408 social housing units Site Area: 2.1ha Developer: Community Housing (Vic) Ltd, Homes Victoria, Department of Health &amp; Human services Builder: ICON Funding partner: Building Communities Community housing provider: Building Communities 50 Quay Street - Build-to-Rent Address: 50 Quay Street &amp; 55 Coronation Drive Brisbane State: Queensland Value: $237.93 million Construction end: June 2027 Accommodation: 475 affordable apartments Site Area: 0.373ha Developer: Cedar Pacific, Sumitomo Australia Pty Ltd Builder: Hutchinson Builders (Hutchies) Funding partner: Sumitomo Forestry, Grosvenor, Australian Ethical and Cedar Pacific Community housing provider: Essence Communities Tetris HIF Cairns Address: 710-714 Des Chalmers Drive, Woree State: Queensland Value: $206.25 million Construction end: December 2026 Accommodation: 490 social housing units Site Area: 5.365ha Developer: Community Housing Ltd, Tetris Capital Pty Ltd Builder: FCC Construction Australia and Modscape Funding partner: Tetris alongside Qld Housing Investment Fund Community housing provider: Community Housing Limited (CHL) Vic BIG Housing Build - Essex Street, Prahran Address: 14 Essex Street, Bella Street State: Victoria Value: $150 million Construction end: Q4 2026 Accommodation: 155 social housing units Site Area: 5.78ha Developer: Women's Property Initiatives Ltd, Aboriginal Community Housing (VIC) Ltd (ACHVL), Department of Health &amp; Human Services, Homes Victoria, Community Housing (Vic) Ltd Builder: ICON Funding partner: Building Communities Community housing provider: Building Communities Social &amp; Affordable Housing Units, Toowoomba Address: 1-11 Princess Street, Newtown, Toowoomba State: Queensland Value: $150 million Construction end: Q2 2027 Accommodation: 185 units Site Area: 0.663ha Developer: Mission Australia Housing Queensland Builder: - Funding partner: Palisade Investment Partners Community housing provider: Mission Australia Southport Supportive Accommodation Project Address: 1-9 Scarborough Street, Southport State: Queensland Value: $138 million Construction end: June 2027 Accommodation: 200 homes Site Area: 0.67ha Developer: Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works Builder: ICON Funding partner: Australian Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund and the Queensland Government Community housing provider: - *Data compiled using BCI Central.

Australia’s 10 Biggest Social and Affordable Housing Projects

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Australia’s 10 Biggest Social and Affordable Housing Projects

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