Social Futures has welcomed the release of the draft northern rivers resilient lands strategy, and is calling for social and affordable housing targets on the sites that will eventually be earmarked for new housing. It is encouraging that 22 Northern Rivers sites will be investigated as areas for new housing developments and once sites are approved, it is essential that the areas have targets for affordable and social housing.
We know is that the Northern Rivers has always had much lower levels of affordable housing than the state as a whole.
Social Futures has welcomed the release of the draft northern rivers resilient lands strategy, and is calling for social and affordable housing targets on the sites that will eventually be earmarked for new housing.
Mr Davies said it was very encouraging that 22 Northern Rivers sites will be investigated as areas for new housing developments.
“Once sites are approved, it is essential that the areas have targets for affordable and social housing,” Mr Davies said.
“What we know is that the Northern Rivers has always had much lower levels of affordable housing than the state as a whole.
“Now is the time we can address that – so we want to see a significant investment, and an investment that is made up front and early.
“We want affordable housing built into neighbourhoods, so we have mixed tenure and opportunities for diverse neighbourhoods with diverse housing.
“We want this to be an opportunity to overcome the housing challenges we have experienced for so long in this region.”
Mr Davies said only significant investment in housing would ease the region’s crippling post-flood housing crisis.
According to the NRRC website, 6,469 households are still waiting for either a buyback, house-raising or retrofit from the Resilient Home Fund.
Mr Davies said it was crucial new housing estates had affordable housing so essential workers could move to the region.
“We find in our community services organisation that it’s hard to get staff to move to the region because it’s so costly. We’re hearing that police, teachers, health professionals of all types are struggling to find somewhere to live,” he said.
“It is vital for our recovery that we have a workforce in human services and emergency and other services, so we have the foundations for a strong and robust community.”
Mr Davies said it was very welcome news that 22 sites which could hold some 10,000 houses have been identified in draft northern rivers resilient lands strategy for further on-ground investigation.
“The strategy also outlines ‘immediate on-ground investigations’ at 15 sites, with the aim of housing around 7,800 residents impacted by last year’s flooding –six of these sites are in Lismore.
“We have heard that some plots of land may even be developed by the end of next year – that is fantastic.”