Lake Macquarie Councillor Pushes for Affordable Housing

 BY BELLA MIDDLETON

92 Toronto Road, Booragul
Credit: Google Street View

                  

Lake Macquarie Councillor Jason Pauling has filed a recommendation for an empty plot of land in Booragul to be used for affordable housing. 

The land at 92 Toronto Road currently sits empty, with Pauling urging it should be made available for social and/or affordable housing if it is not already required for other purposes. 

"This is an attempt to get all three levels of government to actually do something meaningful.

There's a lot of chatter and discussion about social and affordable housing, but we haven't seen a lot of action, and this is an opportunity for all the levels of government to work together to deliver a meaningful outcome that will have a very positive impact on a  number of people's lives," said Cr Pauling.

Pauling is also calling for a full construction and development funding commitment from the state or federal governments if the plan is approved.

The Hunter is home to five of the ten local government areas with the highest housing need in New South Wales. 

"I don't think there's any doubt from any quarter that housing prices, the increases we've seen, and the supply issues we've seen, have made it really hard for a lot of residents.

This is a small step, it's certainly not the silver bullet solution by any means, but it is a tangible demonstration of what can happen when all three levels of government work together," Cr Pauling said. 

Hunter Housing Providers Call for More Investment into Rent Assistance and Dwellings Ahead of Federal Budget Release

BY OLIVIA DILLON

A Hunter-based community housing provider is calling on the Federal Government to make a serious commitment to end the housing crisis felt across the Hunter and Australia when it delivers it's budget tonight. 

Recent data out of Communities and Justice NSW indicates the expected wait time for a one bedroom studio in Newcastle is between two and five years. 

Two, three, and four bedroom properties have a wait list between five and ten years. 

As of June last year, there were more than 1,700 applicants on the waitlist for social housing in Newcastle, with 111 in high need of a home. 

Home in Place Executive Manager of Business and Public Affairs, Martin Kennedy, said they're hoping to see a commitment made to increase rent assistance, in a bid to ease pressure on the private rental market, and in turn, the social housing sector. 

"You can't allow something as fundamental as secure housing to be something that only well-off people can afford. Having that sort of arrangement is completely corrosive to society and to the economy, and that's the direction we're headed in," he said. 

"It's incredibly important that we put this right." 

The organisation is also hoping the budget will include a boost to the Housing Australia Future Fund. 

Mr Kennedy said it's obvious more houses need to be built in order to cater for a growing number of struggling Hunter residents. 

"The current level of 30,000 dwellings is better than nothing, but it would be good to see it increased." 

Report Finds Port Stephens One of the Least Affordable Renting Areas in Regional NSW, Whilst Upper Hunter Most Affordable

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A  report released today shows Port Stephens made the list as one of the least affordable areas for renting in regional NSW, whilst the Upper Hunter is one of the most affordable areas. 

The Affordable Housing Income Gap Report, produced by Hunter-based Compass Housing Services, found non-metropolitan LGA'S in NSW have greater affordability issues than in other states.

"The Hunter was a bit of mixed bag, in places like Maitland and Upper Hunter, things were actually quite affordable. In places like Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie, distinctly unaffordable," says Report author, Martin Kennedy.

"Newcastles pretty much right on the cusp of being affordable and unaffordable." 

The report found prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, renting had become marginally cheaper across the bulk of the Greater Sydney area but significantly more expensive in certain regional areas of NSW.

Of the 10 least affordable local government areas in NSW, four are outside Sydney.

The report was based on the median income of renters across Australia, and measured housing affordability by determining the amount of additional income a typical renting household needs to avoid housing stress on various types of dwellings. 

"In places including Newcastle it very much depends on the type of dwelling you need. If you only need a one or two bedroom apartment, and you're a median income earner, you're fine. But if your looking for detached 3 or 4 bedroom housing, it starts to look a whole lot less affordable," Mr Kennedy says. 

"The gaps between what you could afford, and what you would be required to pay is still around $4000 a year, which is not insignificant." 

Mr Kennedy said the report shows that housing stress isn’t just something experienced by people on low incomes.

It found lower household incomes in regional NSW meant typical renters in many areas experienced housing stress despite nominally cheaper rents.

“Even before the current crisis working families with average incomes often struggled to rent suitable properties close to jobs,” he said.

“Throw in the possibility of reduced hours or a job loss due to COVID-19 and things can become very tough indeed.  

“Although rents are expected to fall in the short term due to more stock coming on to the market, they may not fall far enough to become affordable for typical renting households.

“More to the point, it shouldn’t take a global pandemic, closed borders and widespread lockdowns to bring median rents more in line with median incomes.”

Mr Kennedy said the existence of the affordable housing income gap is part of a broader housing crisis.

“The problems facing renters are largely due to purchase prices being too high and social supply being too low." 

“Unfortunately, people who can’t afford to buy, and don’t qualify for social housing, have no option but to cut back elsewhere and try to manage as best they can.”

Regional NSW’s least affordable LGAs for renting were Byron Tweed Shire, Clarence Valley (Grafton), Ballina, Coffs Harbour Shoalhaven, Port Macquarie, Goulburn, Kiama and Port Stephens.

The most affordable LGAs for renting were Upper Hunter, Broken Hill, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth, Western Plains (Dubbo), Queanbeyan, Albury, Bathurst, Orange, and Armidale.  

The Report’s recommendations include:

·         the construction of 500,000 social and affordable housing dwellings in the next 10 years

·         stricter controls on residential mortgage lending to keep borrowings to realistic multiples of household income

·         repealing stamp duty in favour of a broad-based land tax

·         relaxing urban growth boundaries which artificially ration the supply of land

·         scrapping first home buyer grants and stamp duty exemptions

·         giving renters more support and stronger protection under state and territory tenancy laws.

·         alternative allocation models for social housing.

Image Credit: Real Estate.com

Charity Fundraiser to Tackle Homelessness in the Hunter

BY ALICE PEART

The seventh annual Newcastle Sleepout by Saint Vincent de Paul will take place tonight at McDonald Jones Stadium with over fifty local CEOs participating in the event to raise funds for homeless services.

The Sleepout invites participates to experience a night of 'sleeping rough' with just a sleeping bag and a piece of cardboard.

The latest census data shows more than 116,000 people currently experience homelessness in Australia, with over a third of that number occurring in NSW alone.

With only three percent of homes deemed affordable across the state for low-income earners, Saint Vincent de Paul is advocating for more social housing and measures to decrease cost of living.

The state government has pledged to halve homelessness by 2025 but Event Coordinator for the fundraiser, Jenny Barrie, has said there is an urgent need to direct more funds to regional areas with people reportedly feeling less safe outside of cities.

The fundraising effort is aiming for $150,000 to contribute to food services, social housing and health professionals provided by the charity in the Hunter.

It is forecasted to be just four degrees over night and Barrie says it can be a "cold, hard" experience.

Stress on Housing Crisis for Homeless Women

BY LAURA D'AMICO


Member for Charlestown Jodie Harrison is raising concern in regards to the housing crisis many women are facing.

Yesterday Ms Harrison gave a Notice of Motion to address the government, asking for long-term housing solutions for the ever-growing number of homeless women in the Charlestown electorate.

"These women have led conventional lives, raised families, worked part-time or in unpaid roles," Ms Harrison said.

"Many of these women are unable to maintain private rental as the high rental prices can consume practically all of their income - they are left without the financial security to care for themselves."

The rate of women who are homeless is increasing at a concerning rate, with considerable concern for those aged over 46.

With 0.01% of houses in the private rental market being affordable to women claiming a Newstart allowance, there has been an ever-present increase of women sleeping in cars and 'couch surfing'.

The worrying increase in the number of homeless women in the hunter has seen local not-for-profit support services stretched thin, and Jodie Harrison says the government needs to be doing more to fix the problem.

"The Berejiklian Government needs to stop pouring billions of dollars into rebuilding new sports stadiums in Syndey and put the money where it is needed most."

Labor Commits To Affordable Housing At Broadmeadow

BY IAN CROUCH

A future state Labor government will set aside 25 percent of land earmarked for medium density housing at Broadmeadow for affordable housing.

The Berejiklian government has reportedly earmarked a large parcel of land adjacent to the Locomotive Depot off Cameron Street at Broadmeadow for private development, which would allow for medium density housing.

While in it's draft stage, the 'Locomotive Depot Precinct' plan has not allocated any affordable housing for the site, which is also adjacent to the planned Broadmeadow Sports and Entertainment Precinct.

The Triangular Piece Of Land Earmarked For Medium Density Housing

Labor has seized on this apparent omission by the government, promising to set aside 25 percent of residential development on the site for affordable housing.

Affordable housing is specifically targeted at low to middle income earners, especially those employed in important sectors such as police and nurses  who work in the city, but can't afford to live close by.

Shadow Minister For Planning and Infrastructure, Michael Daley joined Newcastle MP, Tim Crackanthorp at Broadmeadow for today's announcement.

Michael Daley believes the government will simply sell off the locomotive land to private developers so they can profit from high-priced medium density housing.

"We'll masterplan this site - we'll take 25 percent of the dwellings that are built here, or set them aside for young couples, tradies, police officers, teachers - we'll make then available at hugely discounted rental - 25, 30, 40 percent discounted rental," he said.

Michael Daley and Tim Crackanthorp Discuss The Need For Affordable Housing At Broadmeadow Picture: Ian Crouch

Affordable Housing To Be Built In CBD

BY OLIVIA PORTELL

The State Government has partnered with Evolve Housing to announce an affordable housing development to be built on Newcastle's former rail corridor.

30 rental units will be built, allowing low-income earners to experience inner-city living.

The project is expected to house a maximum of 80 people and will cater to families of different sizes.

There will also be three specialist disability accommodation dwellings.

Parliamentary Secretary for The Hunter Scot Macdonald says the development will allow people from all walks of life to experience inner-city living.

"It's important to have a diversity of workers, a diversity of housing- we must have affordable housing in the middle of the CBD," he says.

"We need more people living and working there across the spectrum if you like, and this goes some way towards that."

Macdonald says that it is part of the plan to rejuvenate the CBD.

"We committed when we closed the old corridor and announced the light-rail," he says.

"Roughly two-thirds of the old corridor is for community and social activation, and that's what we're getting with this affordable housing announcement."

It is hoped that construction will commence by the end of the year.

Property Council calls out "petty politics"

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Concerns over Newcastle City Council's Labor-Greens alliance have been expressed by the Property Council of Australia's Hunter branch.

The concerns come following a decision made at last night's Council meeting to delay community consultation on the former rail corridor until a report detailing traffic and public transport data is made available for viewing.

According to the Property Council, it is the second time in two weeks that the same voting bloc has held up progress for the Newcastle CBD- referring to Council's refusal two weeks ago to pitch-in funding for a 30-unit affordable housing project aimed at 'key workers.'

Hunter Director of the Property Council, Andrew Fletcher, says the Labor-Greens alliance are delaying progress in order to side-step community consultation and avoid contention in the lead-up to this year's local government election.

"With local government elections coming up in September this year, it smacks of delaying tactics.
It would appear that there are a number of councillors who just don't want to have any contention before the elections, they'd like to see some clear political air.

"It's nothing more than scoring cheap political points at a time when their civic duty is to maintain momentum in transforming the city centre."

The Property Council have also taken aim at Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes' decision to remove support for UrbanGrowth NSW's affordable housing proposal after voting for it in October last year.

"It's difficult to understand the Lord Mayor's position...It's just impossible to understand why, when the state government is willing to throw close to $20 million into public domain improvements along the foreshore and in the CBD, why Council would snub their nose at that kind of investment just beggars belief."

Artist's impression of affordable housing along the former rail corridor. Image source: Newcastle Herald. 

Hunter Director of the Property Council of Australia, Andrew Fletcher.