Social housing is the umbrella term for public and community housing. Currently there are around 43,000 households living in social housing in South Australia.

SA Housing Authority’s public housing services are part of a greater social housing support system, and the Authority currently owns and manages around 33,000 public housing properties in South Australia. Public housing provides housing to those most in need in our communities, and who are at greatest risk of becoming homeless. The Authority delivers a range of public housing services, including low rental housing options across the State and housing for Aboriginal peoples.

Other social housing options include community housing, which is provided and managed by organisations who are independent of government. They have strong links to their community and provide housing to specific groups in the community. Currently, there are around 12,000 properties that the Authority either owns or has an interest in which are managed by Community Housing Providers.

Significant investment in public housing has been made as part of a public housing improvement program (PHIP), which will increase modern public housing across all areas of South Australia. An additional 1,144 households will live in public housing by 30 June 2026 compared to what would have been without the program,  the first substantial increase to public housing in decades.