The federal government has announced an additional $300 million in grant funding to expand the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Crisis and Transitional program, adding to the $700 million already allocated.
Of the existing $700 million grant pool, $85.4 million remained unallocated as of 31 July, with New South Wales ($188.8 million approved), Victoria ($144.4 million) and Queensland ($133.9 million) receiving the largest shares of approved grant funding to date. In total, Housing Australia had approved $614.6 million in grant funding across 115 projects by that date.
More homes, more people supported
The extra funding is expected to deliver more than 500 additional crisis and transitional homes, on top of the 968 dwellings already approved as of 31 July. Those approved projects are forecast to support more than 35,000 people over the next 20 years, including over 22,000 women and children escaping family violence, along with young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Around 1,000 women, children and young people are expected to benefit each year from the newly announced funding alone.
Of the dwellings already approved, 448 are earmarked for women and children affected by family violence and 520 for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Projects span metropolitan, regional and remote areas, and include culturally safe housing developed with First Nations organisations.
That focus reflects the broader national picture: people experiencing family and domestic violence make up the single largest client group of Australia's specialist homelessness services, accounting for 40% of all clients assisted in 2024–25.
Housing Australia chief executive Scott Langford (pictured) welcomed the announcement, saying it reflected sustained appetite from housing providers to scale up delivery.
"We welcome today's additional grant funding announcement, which will help deliver more safe and stable housing for Australians experiencing or at risk of homelessness," Langford said.
He said the level of interest from community housing providers had underscored the program's momentum.
"The significant interest received through the HAFF CT demonstrates the sector's readiness to partner with government to increase the supply of high-quality crisis and transitional housing across Australia," he said.
That demand reflects a system under sustained strain: national data shows around one in three people seeking short-term or emergency accommodation through specialist homelessness services in 2024–25 went unassisted, underscoring the scale of need the additional funding is intended to help address.
The funding is supporting a broad mix of housing models rather than a single design template.
"It is supporting a range of contemporary, innovative and trauma-informed housing models, including core-and-cluster accommodation, refuges, supported independent living and youth foyers, helping people access the safety, stability and support they need to rebuild their lives," Langford said.
Housing Australia has confirmed it will not reopen expressions of interest submissions for the program. Instead, EOI applications already assessed as eligible and given deferred status will be considered for invitation to the detailed application stage, though an invitation does not guarantee funding. Sector engagement on the detailed application process is expected to begin within approximately two weeks.
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