This report addresses the critical and escalating housing challenges faced by essential workers in New South Wales (NSW), a situation that directly undermines the delivery of key services to the community. Essential workers are increasingly unable to afford or find suitable housing near their workplaces. This forces them into long commutes, substandard living conditions, or to leave their roles, leading to service delivery shortfalls across the state. 

The report makes 20 recommendations to the NSW Government organised around five key themes. When considered together, the recommendations can ensure adequate supply of diverse, well-located, and high-quality housing options for essential workers. 

Key recommendations

• Homes NSW should lead efforts to provide housing for essential workers.
• The NSW Government should require planning processes for major developments to assess the need for essential worker housing, and strengthen inclusionary zoning policies to increase supply in well-located areas.
• The NSW Government should maximise opportunities to build essential worker housing on Crown land, and consider zoning changes.
• Alternative housing models like build-to-rent and shared equity schemes should be explored for their viability to be tailored to essential workers.

Key findings

• No single government agency is responsible for making sure essential workers have access to affordable and suitable housing.
• The term 'essential worker' needs to be flexible based on local community needs and should focus on the need to be physically present at work.
• Essential worker housing could be better supported in current planning frameworks.
• There is a need to better involve the private sector to enable delivery at scale.