Research finds up to 12,000 homes needed in NT by 2041

Children are sleeping rough and families are living in vehicles, sparking calls for action from experts. One key professional says NT is worst for affordable housing in Australia.

Between 8000 and 12,000 dwellings will be needed in the NT by 2041. Picture: Patrick Schneider

Thousands of houses are urgently needed to combat homelessness in the NT, research suggests.

The University of NSW City Futures Research Centre found between 8000 and 12,000 dwellings would be needed in the NT by 2041.

The same research found 21 per cent of Territory households currently face unmet housing needs.

Community Housing Industry Association NT chair Karen Walsh said it was “inconceivable children were sleeping rough and families were living in their cars”.

“The NT community housing sector is ready to partner with all three levels of Government, institutional finance and the private sector to leverage our value proposition and boost much needed affordable rental housing supply,” she said.

“We now have motivated governments and a capable and mobilised housing sector.

“We can make serious inroads to addressing this challenge.”

Community Housing Industry Association NT chair Karen Walsh said it was inconceivable families were “sleeping rough”. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

About 90 housing, policy, finance and planning industry experts will attend a symposium on Thursday to raise awareness of Commonwealth funding and partnership opportunities.

NT Shelter CEO Peter McMillan said investment in affordable housing in the NT was lagging behind the rest of the country and had for the past 20 years.

“We are now seeing the impacts of that in our extraordinarily high levels of homelessness and rental stress,” he said.

“The message is clear – we need more housing built and we also need funding for services to support people according to our level of need.”