Attend the NSW Social Housing Management Transfer Industry Sounding Forum

The Department of Family and Community Services will hold an Industry Sounding Forum on 18 October 2016 1.00pm - 5.00pm to discus the Social Housing Management Transfer Program. 

Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW was announced in January 2016 when the Hon Brad Hazzard, NSW Minister for Family and Community Services (FACS) launched the NSW Government’s new vision for social housing over the next ten years. The strategy aims to break the cycle of disadvantage by reducing homelessness and providing more housing and support for those needing social housing.

The strategy looks at all aspects of social housing from homelessness to the private market, focusing on three strategic priorities:

• more social housing

• more opportunities, support and incentives to avoid and/or leave social housing

• a better social housing experience.

On 6 October 2016 the Minister unveiled details of the Social Housing Management Transfer Program (SHMT) which will see the management of up to 18,000 social housing properties transferred to non-government providers. The SHMT Program is a major initiative under the Future Directions social housing reforms and will deliver on the NSW Government’s COAG commitment to transfer management of up to 35% of all social housing to the community sector.

Community housing providers will have the opportunity to bid to manage portfolios of social housing properties in four locations across the State in: the Shoalhaven, Northern Sydney, Mid North Coast and Hunter New England (excluding Newcastle and Lake Macquarie). 

The procurement process is expected to commence in early 2017. Community housing providers registered under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH) or new entrants who are able to achieve registration prior to the transfer of properties are eligible to submit proposals, including joint proposals, to manage the properties. All location portfolios will be invited for tender simultaneously.

As part of this process, a series of Industry Sounding Forums will be held to communicate and discuss the government’s strategic intent and expectations for the whole of location transfers.  The Industry Soundings are being held prior to the commencement of the competitive process in order to provide general information about the SHMT program and to discuss the scope and type of information that will need to be included in the competitive process documentation. The Industry Soundings are not part of the formal competitive process and separate Industry Briefings will be held once the competitive process documentation is released.

The first of these Industry Sounding Forums will take place to seek information, and secondly to feedback and establish the information required for the tender process. NCOSS members can register their interest by sending an email to managementtransfers@facs.nsw.gov.au

The event will take place in Sydney and there will be event web streaming available that will enable external participants to view the presentations and contribute to the discussions.