Homes North, which manages more than 1000 properties across the New England and North West, has formed a consortium with other interested groups to put in an expression of interest for a new $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund announced by the NSW government a week ago.

Under the billion-dollar fund, more than 3000 new homes have been promised to address the affordable housing shortage, 30 per cent of which have been earmarked for regional NSW.

It’s part of a 10-year strategy for social and affordable housing reform, which Homes North chief executive officer Maree McKenzie has described as a “seismic shift” for the sector.

She said under the new approach, the government was committing more resources to not only housing stocks, but also for support services, in an effort to transition people out of subsidised housing.

In announcing the reforms, Social Housing Minister Brad Hazzard said the future was one “in which all agencies with a vital interest in the life outcomes for social housing residents – including health, education, justice, industry and family and community services – collaborate and are held accountable”.

“It is a future where there are expectations and accountability for new and existing residents of social housing,” he said.

Mr McKenzie said it was music to the sector’s ears.

“This is a very significant change – a welcome change – because, as housing providers, that’s always been the missing piece of the puzzle,” she said.

“Providing a roof over someone’s head is only part of the answer.”

Ms McKenzie said the consortium they were part of was applying for funding for 200 properties in regional NSW, 50 of which would be in this region.

Homes North will also be tendering to manage some of the 35 per cent of publicly managed properties the government is promising to transfer to the community sector.