Established this year, the taskforce aims to help deliver ways for fair and equitable housing in regional NSW.

Taskforce chairman Garry Fielding said sharp price rises and tight vacancy rates in regional NSW had shone a light on underlying housing issues and trends, which in the past had been masked by the reputation of regional NSW as a more affordable alternative to Greater Sydney.

"It is clear that while housing pressures in the regions are not altogether new or solely fueled by COVID-19, the pandemic's influence on traditional migration patterns has exacerbated existing housing pressures in many regional areas," Mr Fielding said.

Earlier this year, the cost of renting a house in Griffith soared to a record high, with the ongoing housing crisis seeing up to 60 applicants competing for the same property.

"Every year I keep saying I have never seen anything like this," Angelo Cirillo from Soul Property Agents said.

"Properties in our region are mostly owner occupied so we are seeing less and less investors which is putting a substantial strain on the local rental market."

Griffith Real Estate managing director Brian Bertolin shared this sentiment, saying the lack of affordable housing was a symptom of the housing crisis.

"The lack of stock in the housing market has pushed people into the rental market and inflated that area as well," Mr Bertolin said.

"With the way the selling side of things is going, I can't see Griffith rents dropping any time soon."

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In response to this, Griffith City Council announced that they are intending to utilise council owned land to create social and affordable housing through the Griffith Green housing project.

The taskforce found almost half of households across regional NSW have two or more spare bedrooms in their dwelling however in regional cities such as Griffith, over five percent of dwellings are considered overcrowded.

The 'spike in demand' throughout the year from seasonal workers has also proved a challenge to the market.

"Variety of available properties is the issue," Mr Bertolin said.

"Properties at the lower end of the market are in the most demand."

According to Mr Fielding, the 'lived experience' of those feeling acute housing pressures in much of regional NSW undoubtedly pointed to the need for targeted interventions.

"Those which are place-based and carefully targeted at untangling the complexities specific to the particular area in which they arise and those that address the systemic issues that impact all communities."

Mr Bertolin said that the only solution to the current housing crisis was time.

"It's not a quick fix by any means, all we can hope for is a surplus to correct the market," Mr Bertolin said.

The taskforce will now consider the reports findings and develop recommendations to be implemented in the coming months and years.

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