Council has finalised its new Affordable Housing Strategy based on the feedback received during the recent community exhibition period.
In June this year, the draft strategy went on exhibition and received 38 submissions from community members, planning consultancies, licensed builders, and a variety of organisations including Homes NSW, Shelter NSW, Southern Cross Housing, Housing Trust and other peak bodies.
The strategy identifies the affordable housing challenge in Shoalhaven and establishes the work Council will do to help increase the supply of affordable housing and improve the cost of housing more broadly.
"Many residents in need of affordable housing within Shoalhaven are those who earn a steady income but are still unable to meet their housing needs as well as their other essential living costs, such as food, clothing, transportation, medical care, and education," said Mayor Patricia White.
"Affordable housing is a complex matter that requires a collaborative cross-government and private sector approach to achieve a positive outcome and provide a diversity of housing for our communities," Cr White said.
Most of the submissions supported the preparation of the strategy, the identified actions and Council's continued work to help deliver affordable housing. Several organisations offered to collaborate with Council on proposed advocacy, education, and feasibility testing activities.
Some submissions raised concerns about Council's role in delivering or facilitating the supply of affordable housing, or objected to attempts to increase the amount of affordable housing locally.
Results from the 2021 census indicate that more than 4,000 households are in housing stress and 2,000 households need affordable housing.
The new strategy outlines a range of measures to address the housing affordability including through the direct delivery of housing on Council land, requiring development to provide affordable homes, collaboration with Community Housing Providers, and advocating with the NSW and Australian Governments on a range of related reform.
Local Community housing provider, The Housing Trust, recently published its Affordable Housing Scorecard ranking the efforts of Council's in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven region on a scale from A to F. Pleasingly, Shoalhaven again received a "B" for its continued efforts and proposed work.
Council used funding received from the NSW Government's Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund to prepare the new Strategy.
