Housing Australia launches Round 3 to fund 21,350 new social and affordable homes

Just 17 months into a 60-month delivery window, previous funding rounds have already committed 279 contracts, supporting 18,650 homes - with 889 completed and 9,501 under construction.  

Round 3 will build on this momentum, with community outcomes at its core. It aims to bring together capital and capability from the Community Housing Providers, state and territory governments, First Nations housing organisations, developers, builders, financiers and investors to deliver tenant centric housing outcomes.  

In Round 3, Housing Australia will offer:

• funding packages of various sizes encouraging industry partnerships led by Community Housing Providers and other eligible funding recipients  
• partnership opportunities for states and territories  
• $600 million in dedicated funding for First Nations housing organisations.  

An open, on-demand, two-stage application process will enable faster decisions. Housing Australia will also establish a First Nations Concierge service to support First Nations housing organisations through the application process.  

Funding will be allocated based on clear criteria to prioritise well-located, high-quality, and value-for-money projects that can deliver keys in doors as soon as possible. This includes developments across metropolitan and regional areas, designed to meet the needs of diverse tenant cohorts.

Housing Australia CEO Scott Langford said, "This next round is about accelerating delivery and deepening partnerships. We’ve seen momentum building in the first 2 rounds, and now we’re calling on partners to work together to provide all 40,000 homes by 2029. Together, we can create lasting impact on the housing system and provide homes for those who need them most."  

To make it easier for applicants to navigate funding options and access support, the Australian Government is streamlining all social and affordable housing funding products administered by Housing Australia under a single Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) brand.  

• HAFF – Social and Affordable: combines the Housing Australia Future Fund Facility, National Housing Accord Facility, National Housing Infrastructure Facility – Social and Affordable Housing, and Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator  
• HAFF – Crisis and Transitional: rebrand of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility - Crisis and Transitional  
• Housing Australia Critical Infrastructure: rebrand of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility - Critical Infrastructure.

Simplifying funding under the HAFF brand in the coming months will make the available funding products easier to understand, improve coordination, and strengthen engagement with states, territories, industry and the community housing sector.

Interested parties are encouraged to register their interest in applying for Round 3 funding. This Registration of Interest process helps Housing Australia keep stakeholders informed, gauge demand, and identify projects that align with program objectives. Further details about Round 3 will be provided at a Market Briefing Housing Australia will be hosting in December 2025.

To find out more and to register your interest, visit Housing Australia Future Fund Facility and National Housing Accord Facility.