Anglicare Sydney's $10 million redevelopment of the site on the corner of Wentworth and Jubilee streets has transformed the rundown pub into 23 studio apartments, with another seven apartments contained in a new building at the back.

Chief executive officer Simon Miller said older people, especially women, were at higher risk of homelessness and the new social housing development would provide "a safe, secure and life-enriching home".

The latest rental affordability figures from Anglicare show fewer than 1 per cent of 425 properties advertised for rent in the Illawarra are affordable for those on income support or minimum wage.

An affordable property is one that takes up no more than 30 per cent of income.

Even with two people on minimum wage, a household could only afford 14 per cent of the homes available for rent.

Mr Miller said Port Kembla's median rent of about $400 would chew up 70 per cent of income for a person receiving the pension, but the Steelworks homes would cost about 25 per cent of the pension.

This meant people would be able to "live and thrive" there, he said.

The first residents are expected to move in in the coming weeks.

Wollongong MP Paul Scully said the new homes were close to other amenities, including entertainment and restaurants.

"The Steelworks Hotel... needed a real vision, it needed someone with a real vision to recognise what it could be," he said.

Wollongong councillor, Port Kembla resident and co-owner of nearby entertainment venue the Servo, Ann Martin, applauded the redevelopment of one of the suburb's oldest buildings as a "fantastic result".

Port Kembla was traditionally an affordable place to live, she said, and she did not want it to become a place exclusively for the wealthy, noting she bought there as an artist when she could not afford elsewhere.

Construction on the project began in October 2022 and was due for completion in September 2023, but unforeseen issues related to the age and heritage of the building led to delay.

The historical building's facade has been preserved as have some internal features, such as the staircase's balustrade and the tiny booth where people would once pay for their hotel accommodation.

The not-for-profit organisation provided half the funding for the project and the remainder came from the Department of Communities and Justice's Community Housing Innovation Fund.

Work continues on another Anglicare social housing project in Dapto, with construction anticipated to be completed around July to August.

That development will deliver 60 units, of which 51 will be social and affordable housing.