AFFORDABLE HOUSING - NEWCASTLE LABOR’S TOP PRIORITY
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen at 43 Station St Wickham. A 16 unit affordable and social housing complex partly funded by City of Newcastle with a $3m contribution
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes has confirmed that affordable housing will be the top priority of a re-elected Newcastle Labor-led Council.
Under the Lord Mayor’s leadership, the City has adopted affordable housing mandates for upzoned residential land, requiring a minimum 15% affordable housing in new major development.
The Lord Mayor is the first Mayor in NSW to develop and agree to an ambitious MOU with the NSW Government, which will deliver much needed upgrades and re-development of social housing in the City.
A re-elected Labor council will further pursue this commitment. Under Labor’s leadership, the City of Newcastle will identify suitable sites across the City within its existing property portfolio for redevelopment as affordable housing.
Under the plan, with community consultation, Council would seek Expressions of Interest from not-for-profit housing providers wanting to partner with the City of Newcastle to construct affordable housing units on existing Council owned properties that were appropriately zoned (excluding public reserves and other protected spaces), while so retaining the existing council service within the new development.
The Lord Mayor commented on the significance of the policy commitment:
"Housing affordability is the number one issue in our city."
"Through increased density and improvements in technology, an affordable housing development could provide desperately needed accommodation, while also upgrading the Council service offered to the community".
"A majority Labor-led Council will continue to advocate for affordable housing in new developments throughout the LGA as well as ensure that the City of Newcastle increases its efforts to increase the housing supply."
"This year alone, the City of Newcastle has struck a historic agreement with the NSW Government that will allow the NSW Land and Housing Corporation to reallocate its annual rates into the development of new affordable and social housing units."
"And earlier this year the City helped fund a 16-unit development at Wickham being built by Compass Housing with a $3 million from the City of Newcastle.
"The medium house price in Newcastle has increased by 30% and for apartments by 18%, during the past year alone. The median rent is now $532 which is 10% higher than what it was just a year ago."
"Without a significant increase in the supply of land dedicated to affordable housing, there is no likelihood that those who currently can't afford a home, will soon be in a position to have a permanent roof over their head."
"For a progressive city like Newcastle that prides itself on caring for its people, this is unacceptable."
"I know that by working with the community and not-for-profit housing providers, and applying creative solutions to a shortage of available land, we can start to turn around this affordable housing crisis."
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen reflected on the disappointing reception to affordable housing from the Newcastle Independents party:
“As a young person, I know that housing affordability is at a crisis point in the City”
“Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and her Labor team have taken concrete steps to address the crisis - increasing the number of affordable homes in the City.
“Unfortunately this has often been with strong opposition from John Church and the Newcastle Independents”
"Sadly, throughout this last term of Council and this election campaign the Newcastle Independents Party have shown a lack of interest in tackling housing affordability."
“Indeed, John Church has declared a conflict of interest in the topic, leaving the room completely, due to his job as a real estate agent”
“We need civic leaders who understand this issue, and who are invested in addressing the affordable housing crisis.”