Residents are beginning to move into 148 newly renovated public housing units at Telopea, as part of the Minns Labor Government's plan to address the housing shortage and give more people a safe place to call home.
Up to 240 people will be moved into the three towers - known as 'The Three Sisters' - before Christmas and construction will soon begin on another project delivering 423 new homes across the road at Polding Place.
The refurbishment of the Wade Street units comes just over 12 months after the Minns Government ended the 'dud-deal' Liberal/National partnership with Frasers Property Australia that would have seen the demolition and privatisation of the towers.
Under the former Liberal/National Government's plan these homes would have been sitting vacant and unused for almost a decade - all during the worst housing crisis the state has faced.
The upgraded units on Wade Street include thoughtfully renovated kitchens and bathrooms, new flooring and painting, enhanced safety and security systems, fresh landscaping and new community spaces for residents.
These homes will be built alongside a 6000 m2 community plaza and park with play equipment, sports court, BBQ and picnic areas, paths, lighting plus road and pathway upgrades.
The refurbishment works started in Feburary 2025 and have been completed on time and on budget.
This is part of the largest investment in housing in the state's history, with the Minns Labor Government investing $6.6 billion into the Building Homes for New South Wales package.
This plan will build 8,400 new social homes, prioritising at least 50% for victim survivors of domestic and family violence, and restore a further 30,000 to make them safe and liveable again.
Over the past year, Homes NSW has also helped rehome 7,796 households, providing thousands of families with a safe and stable place to call home.
This is in sharp contrast to the previous Liberal National Government, who sold off more than 4,730 homes in 12 years.
While this historic progress is promising, there is still more to be done, which is why the Government is keeping its shoulder to the wheel to rebuild the public housing system after a decade of neglect.
Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:
"We're getting on with the job of delivering homes people can move into today, while laying the foundations for long-term renewal that will transform Telopea into a thriving community.
"The former government signed a dud deal and left these towers empty for years during a housing crisis - locals started calling Telopea a ghost suburb because the Wade Street Towers were left vacant for so long.
"We tore that deal up, brought these homes back to life and now we're getting people housed. That is what a Labor government focused on people, not privatisation, looks like.
"Refurbishing the Wade Street towers and pushing ahead with the first stage of new homes shows our new approach to housing in NSW and a public housing system that is being rebuilt after a decade of neglect."
