The Albanese Labor Government will deliver its largest round yet under the Housing Australia Future Fund, with Round 3 delivering more than 21,000 new social and affordable homes across the country. These homes form part of Labor's ambitious commitment to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes.
The HAFF is now supporting around 29,000 jobs each year across the economy over the period to June 2029 - which means more tradies on the tools building homes for people that need them.
The 21,000 homes delivered through Round 3 ensures we are on track to meet our commitment to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes in full by mid‑2029, with tens of thousands delivered even earlier.
This project is helping tenants like Thangjam, Kristine, and their newborn baby who, prior to moving in to their new social housing unit in Kensington, Victoria, had been in a share house and on the social housing waitlist for a decade.
The HAFF is adding to housing supply across the board while supporting more key workers and vulnerable Australians with housing. This includes women and children escaping family and domestic violence, older women at risk of homelessness, First Nations people and veterans.
Since coming to office, the Albanese Labor Government has completed more than 5,000 social and affordable homes with 25,000 more in planning and construction, across all of the Government's housing programs.
Round 3 will open in late January 2026, inviting community housing providers and state and territory governments to deliver new social and affordable homes by June 2029.
Round 3 changes
Round 3 will deliver more homes, more quickly, backed by a stronger, more efficient delivery model. The Government is accelerating progress through:
- A simpler, demand‑driven application process so providers can bring forward high‑quality projects as soon as they are ready.
- Minimum portfolio sizes to ensure every project delivers meaningful scale and value for money.
- New delivery partnerships between the community housing sector, state and territory governments and industry to drive speed and scale.
- Expanded co‑investment opportunities with states and territories to unlock larger, more ambitious projects.
A new regional and rural component will deliver more homes across regional, rural and remote Australia.
Recognising the critical role community housing providers and state and territory governments play in delivering homes for Australians who need them most, eligibility for HAFF funding will remain limited to these trusted partners, supported by deeper industry partnerships to help them scale up and deliver more homes faster.
As part of the Government's broader reform agenda, all social and affordable housing programs delivered by Housing Australia will be consolidated under the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).
The Government will this week begin publishing regular delivery reports to highlight progress across this agenda.
Round 3 - First Nations stream
In line with the Government's commitment to Closing the Gap, HAFF Round 3 will include a dedicated funding stream to improve First Nations housing outcomes and strengthen the community‑controlled sector. The package includes:
- $600 million in dedicated funding and access to additional concessional loans for projects delivered by or in genuine partnership with First Nations housing organisations.
- A 10 per cent First Nations tenancy target across all social housing delivered under HAFF Round 3.
- A new First Nations concierge function within Housing Australia to support providers through the application and delivery process and help build the long‑term capacity of the community‑controlled housing sector.
- Updates to Housing Australia's Investment Mandate to embed Closing the Gap priorities.
After a decade of neglect and housing drift under the Coalition, which built just 373 social and affordable homes, Labor's HAFF is ramping up to deliver social and affordable housing at scale.
At the conclusion of this Round, the HAFF will have struck agreements to build 40,000 new social and affordable homes by mid‑2029.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Housing, Clare O'Neil MP
"Australia's housing crisis comes from a housing shortage so all governments have to build, and that's exactly what the Albanese Labor Government is doing by supporting thousands of social and affordable homes in every corner of our country.
"After a decade of dithering under the Coalition and relentless opposition in the Parliament, the Housing Australia Future Fund is building. More homes. More speed. More scale.
"Labor is building more homes for Australians on the edge of the housing market like Thangjam and his family, all while contributing to more housing supply across the board.
Quotes attributable to Victorian HAFF tenant, Thangjam
"After being on the waitlist for housing for a long time, moving into Swift Walk feels like an enormous weight has finally lifted. For my wife, our newborn and me, having a secure, well‑managed home through Housing Choices Australia and supported by the Housing Australia Future Fund means more than we can say. The quality of the apartments and the resident facilities are fantastic, and it truly feels like a dream come true for our young family."
