South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness welcomes Labor’s public housing announcement, but we believe more work is necessary
10 March 2026
South Australia’s specialist homelessness services are under unprecedented strain, with more people seeking help, more being turned away and a sharp rise in rough sleeping.
The South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (SAAEH) supports the Labor Party’s pledge to add 500 new public houses, and we welcome any investment in expanding social housing, which will help more South Australians experiencing homelessness to access homes and reduce pressure on the rental market.
The Labor Party has pledged $110 million for new supported accommodation and $30 million to upgrade and refurbish 300 vacant SA Housing Trust properties if they win the March state election. While this announcement is positive and builds on recent efforts to expand the public housing estate, SAAEH notes that:
- homelessness in SA continues to rise,
- the wait list for public housing is still long (13,687 according to the latest Report on Government Services data),
- and the Government’s Housing Roadmap shows a decline in overall Housing Trust builds from 2027 onwards (921 in 2026, down to 201 in 2027 and declining further each year to 87 in 2031).
Based on SACOSS data, which shows that South Australia needs to construct about 350 public and community housing dwellings annually to keep pace with population growth.
Additionally, a recent report by the SAAEH and Per Capita’s Centre for Equitable Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing Needs Assessment – Adelaide CBD, shows that Permanent Supportive Housing not only delivers stability and dignity for individuals but also creates measurable savings for governments through reduced use of emergency, health, and justice systems.
Australian Alliance to End Homelessness CEO David Pearson said:
“We must do more to stop the homelessness emergency in South Australia, and we urge the Government to provide Permanent Supported Housing with comprehensive services so that tenants with high needs are not left to struggle alone and are set up for success.”
He continued, “For the first time, we have a clear picture of how many units are needed, how much support is required and how much it would cost to make it happen. By quantifying the unmet need and identifying the pathways to deliver new Permanent Supportive Housing, we have a clear, actionable roadmap for policymakers, funders, and housing providers alike.”
We reaffirm our call for all parties in this election to commit to addressing the Homelessness emergency.
While the Labor Party’s pledge is welcome, there is no escaping the fact that we still aren’t building enough Public and Community Housing, and we need significant, ongoing investment in Permanent Supportive Housing to restore our social housing capacity.
This can only be done by investing in Permanent Supportive Housing, increasing Public and Community Housing, and maintaining at least the 2025 and 2026 building targets in the Housing Roadmap.
This is the only way forward out of the emergency South Australia faces every day.
Additional contact details: Duncan Bainbridge, 0434 045 805.