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 mathematical 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 & 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 & 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 & Funding partner: JV between John Holland Group and Mirvac Group
Community housing provider: -

Marquet & 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 & Funding Partner: Deicorp
Community housing provider: -

Vic BIG Housing Build - Barak Beacon, Port Melbourne

Address: Barak Road & 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 & Human services
Builder: ICON
Funding partner: Building Communities
Community housing provider: Building Communities

50 Quay Street - Build-to-Rent

Address: 50 Quay Street & 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 & Human Services, Homes Victoria, Community Housing (Vic) Ltd
Builder: ICON
Funding partner: Building Communities
Community housing provider: Building Communities

Social & 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.

*This post was originally published on https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/10-biggest-social-and-affordable-housing-projects-in-australia?utm_source=TUD+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=f4529e6eb4-daily_briefing-bne-2025-08-12_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-bc756cfaf2-195663826