Funding under the Housing Australia Future Fund
Co-investment finance for 40,000 social and affordable homes through the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).
Housing Australia Future Fund
The Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) is a dedicated $10 billion investment by the Australian Government, established in November 2023 under the Housing Australia Future Fund Act, to improve housing outcomes for Australians.
Through the HAFF, Housing Australia is working in partnership with all levels of government and the community housing, development and finance sectors to support the delivery of 20,000 new social homes and 20,000 new affordable homes across Australia over five years from 2024.
Through the HAFF, Housing Australia provides loans and grants for projects that increase the supply of social and affordable housing and address acute housing needs across Australia, including regional, rural and remote areas.
Find out more about the HAFF here.
Impact of Funding Rounds 1 and 2
Housing Australia is advancing toward the national target of 40,000 new social and affordable homes through the HAFF. To date, 279 projects have been committed under the first 2 funding rounds, delivering 18,650 homes nationwide to help address housing need at scale.
Funding Rounds 1 and 2 have achieved strong progress toward the overall program targets, committing funding to:
- 9,284 social housing dwellings
- 9,366 affordable housing dwellings.
Housing Australia has secured at least 1,200 dwellings in each of the five largest states, including New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia. This achievement reflects our commitment to a balanced, timely and impactful housing portfolio, ensuring homes are delivered where they are needed most.
With the continued support of our investors and partners, Housing Australia is focused on supporting the delivery of long-term, sustainable housing outcomes that meet community needs and national priorities.
Combined outcomes of rounds 1 and 2*
| Jurisdiction | Social dwellings | Affordable dwellings (Round One) | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qld | 1,265 | 929 | 2,194 |
| NSW | 2,909 | 1,941 | 4,850 |
| ACT | 305 | 589 | 894 |
| VIC | 2,551 | 2,867 | 5,418 |
| TAS | 398 | 220 | 618 |
| SA | 512 | 749 | 1,261 |
| WA | 1,222 | 2,031 | 3,253 |
| NT | 122 | 40 | 156 |
| TOTAL | 9,284 | 9,366 | 18,650 |
*Data as at 30 September 2025.
Funding Round 3
Housing Australia has opened the Call for Submissions for funding under HAFF Round 3 on 30 January 2026. This is a non‑competitive, open process, allowing applicants to submit proposals at any time, while funding remains available.
As the largest funding round to date, Round 3 will unlock investment to deliver the remaining 21,350 social and affordable homes needed to reach the national target of 40,000 homes by 2029.
Building on strong momentum from previous rounds, Round 3 focuses on accelerating delivery and deepening partnerships across sectors to deliver sustainable, nationwide housing outcomes.
Objectives
Round 3 will support the delivery of 21,350 well‑located, high‑quality homes that provide value for money and long‑term community benefit.
Priorities include:
- Closing the gap: Support more homes being owned by First Nations led organisations with $600m ringfenced funding and a dedicated funding stream. In addition, 10% of all social housing across relevant funding streams must be allocated to First Nations households
- Keys in doors: Delivery certainty targeting support to homes that will be delivered in a timely way, seeking rolling completions from 2027 and all dwellings complete by June 2029
- Geographic distribution: Reach a minimum of 1,200 homes in each state and territory, with strong regional representation
- Well‑located homes: Fund well-located projects that improve liveability, responding to acute housing needs
- Enduring community value: Support proposals that demonstrate value for money and create long-term community value through Community Housing Providers and other eligible funding recipients
- Impactful partnerships: Encouraging collaboration across investors, developers, builders and delivery partners to maximise outcomes.
Funding Round 3
Overview of funding round
To help applicants target proposals and deliver on program objectives, Round 3 introduces four tailored Funding Streams:
- Stream 1: First Nations - more homes owned by First Nations Housing Providers, supporting the housing needs of First Nations people
- Stream 2: Housing Diversity - support housing outcomes across a diversity of locations and cohorts
- Stream 3: States and Territories - partner with State and Territory governments to unlock and accelerate the delivery of more homes
- Stream 4: Partnerships at Scale - enable more homes, sooner, by attracting partners that can deliver timely and efficient outcomes at scale
For more information, refer to the fact sheets available below.
Eligibility
Eligible Funding Recipients for Round 3 include:
- Community Housing Providers
- Charities with a primary purpose of improving housing outcomes for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people
- Charities with a primary purpose of improving housing outcomes for former members of the Australian Defence Force
- Charities with a primary purpose of improving housing outcomes for members of the Australian Defence Force
- State and Territory governments
- Local governments.
An overview of eligibility by Stream is shown below:
How to get involved
Partnerships are central to delivering 21,350 homes by mid‑2029. While eligibility varies by Stream, there are multiple ways to participate. Eligible Applicants may partner with Housing Enablers, state and territory governments, and local governments to deliver meaningful projects.
Housing Enablers are developers, builders, financiers, landowners, or investors who may already have projects in planning suitable for social and affordable housing. These enablers can submit an Expression of Interest, and if their project progresses to the next stage, they will need to secure an Eligible Funding Recipient for the Detailed Application phase.
All partnerships should aim to deliver long-term community value, supported by strong governance, meaningful impact and retained benefits that exceed the initial investment.
How to apply
Register for an account on the Housing Australia Portal (HAP) here.
Review the Call for Submissions and supporting documents available within the HAP, which outlines detailed requirements for Round 3. Applicants should consider this information carefully before submitting.
Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) in HAP under the relevant stream. EOIs are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Successful EOI applicants will be invited to submit a Detailed Application through HAP.
Housing Australia will communicate outcomes in writing.
Consult the Frequently Asked Questions on the Portal and submit any additional questions through the same system.
Upcoming Call for Submissions briefing
To support eligible applicants and stakeholders in understanding the Call for Submissions process, eligibility criteria, evaluation framework, and strengthened partnership‑focused delivery model for HAFF Round 3, Housing Australia will publish a recorded briefing on Wednesday, 11 February.
The recording will be accessible via the Housing Australia website.
The session will cover:
HAFF Funding Round 3 overview
Key changes since December briefing
Approach to funding exposure documents
Information regarding stream funding
Assessment of funding applications.
Stream Fact Sheets
Stream 1 - First Nations
To view the First Nations Stream fact sheet, click here.
Stream 2 - Housing Diversity
To view the Housing Diversity Stream fact sheet, click here.
Stream 3 - States and Territories
To view the States and Territories Stream fact sheet, click here.
Stream 4 - Partnerships at Scale
To view the Partnerships at Scale Stream fact sheet, click here.
Access to the Housing Australia Portal
Housing Australia Portal
You can view the Call for Submissions and apply for Funding Round 3 through the Housing Australia Portal (HAP).