Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven
Meeting Date: Tuesday,
24 May, 2022
Location: Council
Chambers, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 2:00pm
Please note: Council’s Code of Meeting Practice
permits the electronic recording and broadcast of the proceedings of meetings
of the Council which are open to the public. Your attendance at this meeting is
taken as consent to the possibility that your image and/or voice may be
recorded and broadcast to the public.
Agenda
1. Apologies
2. Confirmation of Minutes
· Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven - 10 March 2022....................... 1
3. Declarations of Interest
4. Presentations
HT22.10....... Community Workshop for Homelessness 2022
Shoalhaven City Council’s Community
Capacity Builder, Homelessness (Marsha Makary) will provide a presentation to
the Homelessness Taskforce on the recent Community Workshop for Homelessness
held 12 May 2022. This presentation will include key learnings and themes from
the workshop and will discuss next steps.
5. Reports
HT22.11....... Update on Implementation of Council's Affordable
Housing Strategy.................................................................................... 8
HT22.12....... Action Report Table May 2022.............................................. 15
HT22.13....... Homelessness Interagency Submissions.............................. 23
6. General Business
|
|
Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven – Tuesday 24 May 2022
Page
|
Membership
Clr Findley - Chairperson
All Councillors
Chief Executive Officer or Nominee
Mitchell Bagou – St Vincent De Paul
Cathy Campbell – Southern Cross Housing
Donna Corbyn – Bay & Basin Community Resources
Patricia David – Unions Shoalhaven
Peter Dover – Salt Ministries
Erin Gliddon - Services Australia - South Coast NSW
Bernard Gleeson – St Vincent De Paul Welfare
Belle Grossetti – Mission Australia
Rohanna Holland – Bay & Basin Community Resources
Emilie Martin - Grand Pacific Health
Maria Mitchell – Ulladulla & Districts Community
Resources Centre
Nicole Nicholls – Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health
District
Justine O'Reilly – Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre
Kristy Puckeridge – Southern Youth and Family Services
Nicky Sloane – CI Group
Samantha Stiff – Headspace Nowra
Matthew Sutcliffe – The Salvation Army
Olivia Todhunter – Legal Aid NSW
Libby Topp – Shoalhaven Drug and Alcohol Service
Rheanna Williamson – Primary and Community Care
Services
Lindy Meeves – Nowra Community Mental Health Team
Cassie Michaux
- Manager Commissioning and Planning, Illawarra Shoalhaven and Southern NSW
District
Joanne Grant
– AMS Nowra
Anna Bacik
– CI Group (Illawarra Forum)
Julie Bugden
– Shoalhaven Homelessness Hub
Ruby
Hansen-Tarrant – Age Matters
Alice Russack
– Yumaro
Liz
O’Connell – Mission Australia
Grace Rey
– Socks n Jocks
Lucinda Knapp
– Aboriginal Legal Service
Michael
Sweeney – North Shoalhaven
Julianne
Hopkins – North Shoalhaven
Raul Arregui
– North Shoalhaven
Stuart
Bellingham – South Shoalhaven
Keith Davis
– South Shoalhaven
Shirley Taylor – South Shoalhaven
Quorum - 8
Purpose
To provide appropriate and
considered strategic advice on homelessness and related issues that can be
dealt with at Council level. The Taskforce will work with Council to address
issues, develop options and assist with the identification of preferred
solutions as part of Council’s decision making process.
Role of the Taskforce
The role of the Homelessness
Taskforce is:-
- Provide Council with strategic
advice on homelessness and related issues that can be dealt with at a
Local Government level.
- Work with Council to address
issues, develop options and assist with the identification of preferred
solutions as part of Council’s decision making process
- Advise on the development and
application of a Homelessness Strategic Plan
- Provide comment on relevant
Council policies and strategies
- Advocate community views on
homelessness issues
Minutes of the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven
Meeting Date: Thursday,
10 March 2022
Location: Council
Chambers, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 2:07pm
The following members
were present:
Mayor Amanda Findley -
Chairperson
Clr Liza Butler
Clr Moo D'Ath
Clr Patricia White
Clr John Wells
Clr Evan Christen (remotely)
Clr Tonia Gray (remotely)
– left meeting at 3:45pm
Julie Hopkins –
Community Member
Peter Dover - Salt
Ministries
Patricia David - Unions
Shoalhaven
Olivia Todhunter –
Legal Aid NSW
Ash Hudson – Salt
Alice Russack –
Yumaro Moruya
Mitchell Bagou – St
Vincent De Paul (remotely)
Kristy Puckeridge –
Southern Youth & Family Services (remotely)
Emilie Martin –
Grand Pacific Health (remotely)
Libby Topp - Shoalhaven
Drug & Alcohol Service (remotely) – left meeting at 3:28pm
Lindy Meeves –
Nowra Community Mental Health Services (remotely)
Julie Bugden –
Shoalhaven Homeless Hub (remotely)
Ruby Hansen-Tarrant
(remotely)
Kim Spinks – Dept
of Communities & Justice(remotely)
Lucinda Knapp –
Aboriginal Legal Service (remotely)
Donna Corbyn – Bay
& Basin Community Resources (remotely) – left meeting at 3:46pm
Nicole Nicholls –
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (remotely) – joined 2:45pm
Justine O’Reilly
– Shoalhaven Community Legal Centre
Others Present:
Jane Lewis –
Director City Lifestyles
Gordon Clark –
Interim Director City Futures
Colin Wood –
Manager – Certification & Compliance
Michael Paine –
Manager – Community Connections
Marsha Makary –
Community Capacity Builder Homelessness
Brooke Aldous –
Senior Governance Officer
Ms Kirsty Vezinias
– Community Capacity – Student Placement
Raul Arregui (remotely)
– left meeting at 3:47pm
Mick Sweeney
Digby Hughes –
Homelessness NSW
Blake Richards –
CEO My Best Life
|
HT22.9 Election
of Chairperson
|
|
Mayor Amanda Findley was
appointed Chairperson for the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven. No other
nominations were received.
|
|
Apologies
/ Leave of Absence
|
Apologies
were received from Matthew Sutcliffe – Salvation Army and Clr Matthew
Norris.
|
Confirmation
of the Minutes
|
|
RESOLVED (Patricia David / Clr
White)
That
the Minutes of the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven held on Thursday 14
October 2021 be confirmed.
CARRIED
|
Nil
Presentations
|
HT22.1 City
Lifestyles Presentation - Overview of the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven
|
HPERM Ref: D22/85735
|
|
Marsha Makaray - Community
Capacity Builder Homelessness made a presentation which covered the following
items:
· Overview
of the Taskforce
· Terms of
Reference
· Strategic
Plan
· Relevant
Policies and Procedures
|
|
HT22.2 Presentation -
Governance - Brief Induction
|
HPERM Ref: D22/85755
|
|
Brooke Aldous – Senior
Governance Officer – made a presentation which covered the following
items:
· Code
of Conduct
· Code of
Meeting Practice
· Delegations
· Declaration
of Interests
· External
Member Reports
· Overview of
what is Operational / within the Committees/Boards interest / clarification
of appropriate recommendations under the Committees/Boards delegation
|
Reports
|
HT22.3 Notification
of Council Resolution - Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven
|
HPERM Ref: D22/85786
|
|
Recommendation (Item to be determined under
delegated authority)
That the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven receive the
Notification of Council Resolution – Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven
Re-establishment report for information.
|
|
RESOLVED (Moo D'Ath / Liza
Butler)
That the Homelessness Taskforce
Shoalhaven receive the Notification of Council Resolution –
Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven Re-establishment report for information.
CARRIED
|
|
HT22.4 Shoalhaven
Homelessness Taskforce Committee Community Membership Expression of Interest
- Member Recommendation Report
|
HPERM Ref: D22/61748
|
|
Marsha Makary – Community Capacity Builder
– Homelessness, provided a brief update on the Expression of Interest
Panel process and some background on the proposed new members who are being
put forward to join the Taskforce.
|
|
Recommendation
That:
1. Four
applicants are invited to represent their organisation on the Taskforce:
· Ruby
Hansen-Tarrant - Age Matters
· Grace
Rey – Socks and Jocks
· Liz
O’Connell – Mission Australia
· Alice
Russack – Yumaro (NDIS)
The above organisations are not
currently represented on the committee.
2. Three
community membership appointments are offered to applicants with lived
experience:
· Michael
Sweeney – Bomaderry
· Shirley
Taylor – Ulladulla
· Keith
Davis – Ulladulla (itinerant)
3. Three
community membership appointments are offered to represent community members
with an interest in homelessness:
· Raul
Arregui – North Nowra
· Julianne
Hopkins – Nowra
· Stuart
Bellingham – Mollymook
|
|
RECOMMENDATION
(Clr White / Patricia David)
That:
1. Four
applicants are invited to represent their organisation on the Taskforce:
· Ruby
Hansen-Tarrant - Age Matters
· Grace
Rey – Socks and Jocks
· Liz
O’Connell – Mission Australia
· Alice
Russack – Yumaro (NDIS)
The above organisations are not
currently represented on the committee.
2. Three
community membership appointments are offered to applicants with lived
experience:
· Michael
Sweeney – Bomaderry
· Shirley
Taylor – Ulladulla
· Keith
Davis – Ulladulla (itinerant)
3. Three
community membership appointments are offered to represent community members
with an interest in homelessness:
· Raul
Arregui – North Nowra
· Julianne
Hopkins – Nowra
· Stuart
Bellingham – Mollymook
CARRIED
|
|
HT22.6 Organisation
Membership Recommendation Report
|
HPERM Ref: D22/71284
|
|
Marsha Makary – Community Capacity Builder
– Homelessness, put forward the recommendation for suggested
representatives Digby Hughes – Homelessness NSW & Blake Richards
– My Best Life Australia to be invited to join the Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven representing their organisations.
Discussion centred around the
Tempy Nester program which is run by My Best Life Australia. Blake Richards
provided the following information in relation to the program and also the
work of My Best Life Australia:
· Tempy
Nester is a national program that provides temporary accommodation to women
and children escaping domestic and family violence and homelessness. This is
a significant issue across Australia. The Tempy Nester program currently
focuses mostly on the NSW Central Coast.
· My
Best Life (MBL) are developing a "safe house" program which will
focus on assisting mature aged women who are struggling with homelessness -
currently the biggest growth area in homelessness is women over 55.
· My
Best Life Australia is targeting teenagers that are couch surfing - over 300
teenagers have been identified as couch surfing just in the Ulladulla region.
· Preliminary
discussions have been held with Church of Christ in South Nowra as well as
the Highway Church Ulladulla who are doing a conjunctional project with
Safeways Housing. My Best Life has had discussions with these organisations
about the possibility of expanding tiny homes for emergency or long term
accommodation.
|
|
Recommendation (Item to be determined under
delegated authority)
That the following
representatives be invited to represent their organisations on the Shoalhaven
Homelessness Taskforce:
· Blake Richards
(My Best Life Australia)
· Digby Hughes
(Homelessness NSW)
|
|
RESOLVED (By consent)
That the following
representatives be invited to represent their organisations on the Shoalhaven
Homelessness Taskforce:
· Blake Richards
(My Best Life Australia)
· Digby Hughes
(Homelessness NSW)
CARRIED
|
|
HT22.5 Action Table
Update
|
HPERM Ref: D22/68918
|
|
Recommendation (Item to be determined under
delegated authority)
That the Shoalhaven Homelessness
Taskforce:
1. Receive
the Update on Actions report for information.
2. Acknowledge
the following actions as being complete and remove from the action table:
a. HT21.1
Introduction & Update on Actions - Shoalhaven Homelessness Workshop
Planning Group – Formation
b. HT21.2
Homelessness Taskforce - Membership - Expression of Interest endorsed -
Independent Assessor - Patricia David
c. HT21.4
Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce Thrive Together Fair Planning Group –
Formation
3. Acknowledge
actions one and two from item HT19.6 as being complete and remove from the
action table:
HT19.6 Shoalhaven
Homelessness & Good Living Interagency - Annual Progress Report -
Affordable Housing Strategy
1. Receive copies of the Homelessness and Good
Living Interagency minutes for February, March, and April 2019 for their information.
2. Acknowledge
the Homelessness and Good Living Interagency Position Paper.
|
|
RESOLVED (Moo D'Ath / Clr White)
That the Shoalhaven Homelessness
Taskforce:
1. Receive
the Update on Actions report for information.
2. Acknowledge
the following actions as being complete and remove from the action table:
a. HT21.1
Introduction & Update on Actions - Shoalhaven Homelessness Workshop
Planning Group – Formation
b. HT21.2
Homelessness Taskforce - Membership - Expression of Interest endorsed -
Independent Assessor - Patricia David
c. HT21.4
Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce Thrive Together Fair Planning Group –
Formation
3. Acknowledge
actions one and two from item HT19.6 as being complete and remove from the
action table:
HT19.6 Shoalhaven Homelessness
& Good Living Interagency - Annual Progress Report - Affordable Housing
Strategy
1. Receive copies of the Homelessness and Good
Living Interagency minutes for February, March, and April 2019 for their
information.
2. Acknowledge
the Homelessness and Good Living Interagency Position Paper.
CARRIED
|
GENERAL BUSINESS
|
HT22.7 Additional
Item - Reinstatement of Social Work services
|
|
Discussion took place
around the lack of social work services available to homeless persons within
the Shoalhaven and advocacy work to be done to have these services
reinstated.
Julie Bugden (Shoalhaven Homeless Hub) advised that
she will make contact with the Centrelink Community Engagement Officer who
covers the Shoalhaven and with her permission, provide contact details to
Shoalhaven City Councils Governance team for distribution to Agencies in the
taskforce.
|
|
RESOLVED (Liza Butler / Moo
D'Ath)
That the Mayor consider writing
to the Local Federal Member for Gilmore, all candidates in the upcoming Federal
Election, the Minister and Shadow Minister requesting the reinstatement of
face-to-face social work services within the Shoalhaven region provided by
Shoalhaven Centrelink/Services Australia.
CARRIED
|
|
HT22.8 Additional
Item - Update - Director City Futures - Affordable Housing Strategy
|
|
Gordon Clark – Interim Director City Futures -
provided an update on Council’s Affordable Housing Strategy. Action
– It was noted that a written summary report will be provided at the
next meeting.
· Main
short term action that Council has been working on over the past 4-5 years is
the affordable housing opportunity at Coomea Street, Bomaderry. There are now
5 parcels of land that Council owned that have been transferred to Southern
Cross Housing who have now lodged a DA to potentially provide up to 39 affordable
housing units on the site. There is a Community Housing Agreement that the
site is to be used for affordable housing and if it is ever sold any profit
from the sale has to go back to affordable housing in the Shoalhaven.
· In
terms of short term actions:
o Council
is continually amending planning controls to enable smaller and more
affordable product, and
o working
on broader advocacy to State Government particularly around the opportunity
of renewing the NSW Land and Housing Portfolio which has the biggest
potential to provide and increase in essential affordable housing .
· Medium
term actions include a range of things in this space such as providing
additional floorspace and parking discounts for affordable housing, and
pursuing appropriate medium-density, boarding-houses and secondary dwelling
development.
· An
internal Affordable Housing Working Group has been established consisting of
Council staff from Community Connections, Property and Strategic Planning to
implement longer term actions.
· Council
recently released its “Advocacy Projects 2022” document which has
been provided to the two main Federal Government election candidates, and
subsequently met with them. The document has also been provided to local
State Members as well as the relevant Ministers and Shadow Ministers of the
Federal Government. The need for additional funding for social and affordable
housing is identified within the document.
· Council
has signed up to a new demographic profiling tool called Housing ID which
provides statistics on housing availability and affordability in Shoalhaven
and continues to track into future. It can be accessed at: https://housing.id.com.au/shoalhaven
Mayor Findley advised the
Taskforce that she applied to be the Local Government NSW Regional
Representative on the NSW Housing Taskforce.
Clr White requested information on the Development
Application lodged with Council by Southern Cross Housing for 27 units to be
built on the corner of South Street and St Vincent Street and acknowledged
that she was aware of a number of objections have been received on this
matter.
Gordon Clark responded to advise that letters of
support are just important as letters of objections. Members of the
Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven are encouraged to submit letters of support
for this development.
Please refer to DA22/1078
Clr Wells asked whether there is opportunity for rezoning
development land to residential to create sites for affordable housing.
Clr Wells expressed his concern
over the decommissioning of state housing stock in the area, particularly
around Bomaderry and questioned whether Council has investigated the
strategy and cost savings in reinventing or redeveloping that stock.
Gordon Clark advised that Council
have been raising this with State Government over the past three years. As
the property stock that is owned by the NSW Government is managed locally by
Southern Cross Housing, there may be a possible three way project between Council,
Southern Cross Housing and the NSW Land & Housing Corporation to renew
the housing stock in Bomaderry and other areas to clarify what can be done to
increase housing opportunities.
Action - Clr Wells requested the Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven be kept informed of any developments on this matter.
Clr Findley advised Council have
also been discussing with the Land & Housing Corporation the issue of
selling housing stock. Council has recommended that they are not sold prior
to developing a renewal strategy for Shoalhaven.
1.
|
Note: Libby Topp left the
meeting, the time being 3:28pm
Note: Clr Gray left the
meeting, the time being 3:45pm
Note: Donna Corbyn left
the meeting, the time being 3:46pm
Note: Raul Arregui left
the meeting, the time being 3:47pm
There being no further
business, the meeting concluded, the time being 3:52pm.
Mayor Amanda Findley
CHAIRPERSON
|
|
Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven – Tuesday 24 May 2022
Page
0
|
HT22.11 Update
on Implementation of Council's Affordable Housing Strategy
HPERM Ref: D22/203364
Department: Strategic
Planning
Approver: Carey
McIntyre, Director - City Futures
Attachments: 1. Summary
of Actions from Affordable Housing Strategy ⇩
Reason for Report
The purpose of this report is
to provide an update on the implementation of Council’s adopted Affordable
Housing Strategy and present a summary of the current housing affordable
housing activities and associated matters.
|
Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)
That the Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven receive the update report on the implementation of the
Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy for information.
|
Options
1. As recommended.
Implications: The Taskforce is informed on the
implementation of the Affordable Housing Strategy.
2. Make an
alternative recommendation, for example, request more information.
Implications: Would depend on the nature of any
alternative recommendation.
Background
This report has been prepared in
response to an action arising from the Taskforce Meeting on 10 March 2022 to
provide a summary report on the implementation of the Affordable Housing
Strategy to this meeting.
Council staff are continuing to
investigate ways to gather information to evaluate the implementation of the
Strategy against its key performance indicators. Several indicators rely on
Census data released every five years. The Australian Bureau of Statistics
release of the 2021 Census data later this year provides the first opportunity
to compare contemporary information with the information from the 2016 census -
the date of the last census prior to the adoption of the Strategy.
Affordable Housing Strategy
In late 2017, Council adopted the Shoalhaven Affordable
Housing strategy setting a range of policy directions to facilitate the
delivery of affordable rental housing and improve the affordability of housing
more generally. The detailed analysis at that time found Shoalhaven has the
highest level of housing stress in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Region and was also
one of the least affordable areas, being unable to provide affordably priced
housing for most very low-income renters and low-income purchasers.
The Strategy was designed to be
implemented over 10-years, with short, medium, and long-term actions. The
initial focus addressed the supply of affordable rental housing with the
development of surplus or underutilised Council land in partnership with a
community housing provider. Longer-term actions focus on the opportunities
presented by land use planning policies and mechanisms.
Implementation of the Strategy
The Strategy sets 28 Actions
with short-term, medium term, and long-term timeframes:
· Short-term - years
0-3,
· Medium-term -
years 3-5, and
· Long-term - years
5-10.
Other actions (2) concern the
monitoring and review of the Strategy.
Attachment 1 lists each of
the Actions.
Short-term Actions (6):
Council completed the first action with its formal adoption of the Strategy.
Two actions recommended the direct
provision of land, and the facilitation of social and affordable housing on
Council-owned land in partnership with a Community Housing Provider (CHP).
These are substantially complete, with Council-owned land on Coomea Street,
Bomaderry (five parcels) being transferred to Southern Cross Housing to
facilitate an ‘exemplar’ affordable housing development. A Development
Application for 39 new homes on this site has recently been lodged and is currently
under assessment.
The remaining three actions require:
· A small lot
housing model or demonstration project in a greenfield release area,
· Advocacy
on a range of related matters such as temporary housing opportunities, and the
adjustment of relevant State land use planning policies, and
· A
shared equity purchase model to facilitate the purchase of housing by
low-income households.
Continual adjustments of planning and development controls
have provided opportunities to deliver smaller lots (300-500m2). The
controls for contemporary greenfield urban release areas – known as Moss
Vale Road South and Moss Vale Road North – allow 300m2 sized
lots in areas with greater amenity or convenience such as close to open space
or the planned local shopping centre. The controls also permit a greater
diversity of dwellings, including dual occupancies and secondary dwellings
(also known as granny flats). Allowing smaller lots and a greater diversity of
dwellings may help provide housing at a lower price point, noting that prices
are set by the market. An opportunity to deliver a demonstration project is
also being examined for a future residential release area where Council retains
ownership of some land (Mundamia Release Area). Discussions have also commenced
with the developer of the West Culburra area to enable affordable housing
opportunities.
Council’s ongoing and recent advocacy efforts associated
with affordable housing have been many and varied and included site-specific
and broader opportunities, including:
· Submissions
contributing to the adjustment of the NSW Government’s land use planning
policies, allowing Council to prepare and evaluate an affordable housing
development contributions scheme, and increasing the period for new affordable
housing developments to remain affordable (from 10 to 15 years).
· A
submission on the NSW Government’s NSW Housing Strategy and
associated 2021-22 Action Plan.
· Council provided its Advocacy Projects 2022 document
to relevant members of the Federal Government and local election candidates,
and subsequently met with them. The document calls for additional funding for
social and affordable housing. The document has been shared with local State
Members as well as the relevant Ministers and Shadow Ministers of the Federal
Government.
· Submissions
to various Federal and State Government Inquiries and Taskforce Investigations,
including:
o NSW
Regional Housing Taskforce (awaiting the Government’s response to the
Taskforce’s findings).
o NSW
Inquiry on options to improve the access to existing and alternate
accommodation to address the social housing shortage.
o Federal
Inquiry into housing affordability and supply in Australia.
· Membership
of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Roundtable, established as an
outcome of the NSW Government’s Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Plan.
· Continued
direct advocacy and collaboration with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation on:
o The
renewal of its property portfolio,
o Redevelopment
opportunities of the Mandalay Avenue Sub-Precinct in the Nowra Riverfront
Leisure and Entertainment Precinct.
o Broader
opportunities for collaboration and partnerships.
· Recommenced
conversations with Transport for NSW and others within NSW Government about the
“meanwhile use” of its vacant site on East Street, Nowra for
temporary sheltered accommodation.
· Council
is collaborating with the Property Council, the Fountaindale Group, and the
Housing Pipeline on a proposed workshop (late June 2022) bringing together key
stakeholders in the housing and employment sectors to explore opportunities to
increase the supply of affordable housing for critical employees.
Medium Term Actions (13):
The action to update development controls guiding medium density development
proposals is complete. New controls addressing the design of developments and,
floor space requirements were set in the City-wide Shoalhaven Development
Control Plan 2014. Council recently resolved to review the outcome of
changes to the medium density development provisions.
Work is ongoing on five actions recommending:
· Adjusting
land use zones and planning controls to provide a supply of developable,
residential land within and close to existing centres in the Nowra-Bomaderry,
Bay and Basin, and Milton-Ulladulla areas.
· Increasing
the supply of greenfield residential land facilitating diverse housing
opportunities in new greenfield release areas.
· Supporting
development of high-quality new generation boarding houses in appropriate
locations.
· Investigating
incentives like increased maximum permissible floor space for medium density
developments including smaller dwellings (one- and two-bedrooms).
· Increasing
the areas and development types able to apply for car parking
discount/reductions.
The remaining seven actions suggest Council:
· Facilitate
development of a residential caravan park or manufactured home estate on
publicly owned land in partnership with a community housing provider.
· Investigate
and, if necessary, review the permissible size of secondary dwellings to ensure
affordability.
· Examine
effective ways to reduce parking requirements for smaller homes, including
those close to existing centres and public transport (2 actions).
· Prepare
guidelines to support the good design and management of boarding houses.
· Develop
guidelines to encourage a higher proportion of permanent sites within caravan
parks and manufactured home estates.
· Draft
a policy to provide development incentives for the delivery of affordable
housing.
Long-term actions (7): Work on the following
actions is currently due to commence in 2023:
· Affordable
housing on Council land in Ulladulla (a sister project to Coomea Street,
Bomaderry).
· Mandating
affordable, adaptable, and low-cost dwelling types, including in new greenfield
residential release areas (4 Actions).
· Investigating
affordability benchmarks for new residential release areas.
· A
large-scale demonstration project.
Internal Working Group
An internal Working Group consisting
of Council staff from the Community Connections, Property and Strategic
Planning Teams has been established to implement and monitor the remaining and
ongoing actions. This includes the gathering of data for key performance
indicators. The Working Group has also worked on a range of related
matters, and will continue to do so. To date, these matters include:
· Contributions
to the homelessness workshop and associated projects.
· Consideration
of development approval and servicing requirements for meanwhile use and other temporary
accommodation proposals.
· Managing
the donation of surplus holiday cabins to community housing providers.
· Combined
advocacy efforts to Federal and State Governments.
· Resource
and information sharing.
Members of the working Group will
attend the Property Council’s Forum examining Housing for Shoalhaven
Workers in June 2022.
Housing Monitor
Council now subscribes to a Housing
Monitor to ensure it has access to the most recent information on housing
supply and demand, housing diversity, affordability, and availability. The
monitor provides a range of statistics and information using census
information, planning approval and development data, and sales and rental
records. The Monitor will receive a major update later this year following the
release of the 2021 Census The Monitor can be accessed online at: www.housing.id.com.au/shoalhaven.
The information provided by the Monitor will assist with
monitoring the performance indicators. It also allows new indicators to be
examined. The Housing Monitor provides the following key statistics:
1. Need for improved
housing affordability[1]:
An estimated 1,716 households have an unmet need for affordable housing. This
represents 4.2% of all households in Shoalhaven. Four main types of households
were unable to access market priced rental housing in 2016.
· Family
– 651
· Lone
Person – 505
· Couple
– 177
· Group
- 53
2. Cost of
housing: In December 2021, median prices and median weekly rental costs
were more than comparable regional areas in NSW:
· Median house
price: $876,250
($265,500 more than Regional NSW at
$610,750)
· Median unit price:
$601,000
($106,000 more than Regional NSW at
$495,000)
· Median house
rental: $480
($30 more than Regional NSW at $450)
· Median unit
rental: $400
($30 more than Regional NSW at $370)
3. Supply
of affordable homes: The number of housing sales or rentals affordable to
low-income households, noting the statistics do not record the quality or
suitability of the homes or the investment required to improve them:
· 110
sales or 3.5% of all sales
· 78
rentals or 4.6% of all rentals
Next Steps
The scope, scale and pace of
recent changes to housing availability and affordability have been significant
and influenced by many factors that are not unique to Shoalhaven, including:
· Changes
in regional migration (more movers into Shoalhaven, more people staying in
Shoalhaven) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. Includes the
increased ability to work from home often on higher salaries associated with
metropolitan-based jobs.
· Increase
in domestic tourism, again linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated
demand for and increased investment in short-term rental accommodation.
· Proposed
financial schemes/incentives making it easier to buy homes.
These changes have increased demand and may continue to do so,
pushing up house prices and rental costs. The availability of finance, both for
households to purchase homes and for builders to construct homes, will also
undergo changes in the near future.
The Strategy recommends a five-year review to ensure its
actions remain relevant. Council is due to examine its work program and
priorities for the 2022/2023 year ahead in July 2022. Noting the scale and pace
of change in housing need, the NSW Government’s recent reform of certain
land use planning policies, and the future availability of new census data,
Council will be asked to consider a review of the Strategy, make it a priority,
and allocate a resource.
This would allow for the examination of new census data,
policy positions, updated actions (both deliverables and priorities) to ensure
contemporary solutions to increase the supply of affordable rental housing and
improve housing affordability. It also allows for the review of the
Strategy’s key performance indicators to ensure they remain relevant and
measurable.
|
|
Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven – Tuesday 24 May 2022
Page
0
|
|
|
Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven – Tuesday 24 May 2022
Page
0
|
HT22.12 Action
Report Table May 2022
HPERM Ref: D22/182069
Department: Community
Connections
Approver: Kevin
Norwood, Manager - Shoalhaven Swim Sport Fitness
Attachments: 1. Homelessness
Taskforce Action Table Report April 2022 ⇩
Reason for Report
To provide the Shoalhaven
Homelessness Taskforce with a progress report on outstanding actions.
|
Recommendation
(Item to be determined under delegated authority)
That
the Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce:
1. Receive the Update on Actions report
for information.
2. Acknowledge the following actions as
being complete and remove from the action table:
a. HT19.6 Shoalhaven Homelessness &
Good Living Interagency - Annual Progress Report - Affordable Housing
Strategy
b. HT21.1
Introduction & Update on Actions - Shoalhaven Homelessness Workshop
Planning Group – Formation
c. HT21.4
Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce Thrive Together Fair Planning Group –
Formation
d. HT22.5 Action Table Update
e. HT22.6 Organisation Membership
Invitations - My Best Life Australia and Homelessness NSW
f. HT22.9 Election of Chairperson
- Mayor Amanda Findley
3. Acknowledge the following actions
require further action:
a. HT22.8 Additional Item - Update -
Affordable Housing Strategy - Report Request and State Housing Situation
i. Receive
an annual report that outlines progress against KPI’s that are
contained in the Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy
b. HT22.7 Additional Item -
Reinstatement of Social Work services - Write to MP for Gilmore, Federal
Candidates, Minister & Shadow Minister
|
Options
Adopt the recommendation as written.
Implications: The Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce
is updated of actions and recommendations made at previous meetings
Request more information
Implications: The Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce
request further information
Background
Subject to the Taskforce concurring that satisfactory
progress has been made to complete the items on the April 2022 Action Sheet
Report, the Taskforce is requested to adopt the Recommendation to note the
completion of:
a. HT19.6
Shoalhaven Homelessness & Good Living Interagency - Annual Progress Report
- Affordable Housing Strategy
b. HT21.1
Introduction & Update on Actions - Shoalhaven Homelessness Workshop
Planning Group – Formation
c. HT21.4
Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce Thrive Together Fair Planning Group –
Formation
d. HT22.5
Action Table Update
e. HT22.6
Organisation Membership Invitations - My Best Life Australia and Homelessness
NSW
f. HT22.9
Election of Chairperson - Mayor Amanda Findley
In addition, note the completion
of the following items from the following actions:
HT19.6 Shoalhaven Homelessness
& Good Living Interagency - Annual Progress Report - Affordable Housing
Strategy
1. Receive
copies of the Homelessness and Good Living Interagency minutes for
February, March, and April 2019 for their information.
2. Acknowledge
the Homelessness and Good Living Interagency Position Paper.
And the continuation of the following items from the
following actions:
a. HT22.8
Additional Item - Update - Affordable Housing Strategy - Report Request and
State Housing Situation
An update will be provided by the
Shoalhaven City Council Strategic Planning team on Shoalhaven Affordable
Housing Strategy at the next Taskforce Committee meeting on 24 May 2022.
b. HT22.7
Additional Item - Reinstatement of Social Work services - Write to MP for
Gilmore, Federal Candidates, Minister & Shadow Minister
Attachment 1 provides information
regarding the status of actions and resolutions made at previous meetings.
Should Taskforce members require further information on the status of the
actions in the table attached Council staff will provide as requested.
Community Engagement
It is important that the members
of the Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce are kept informed on progress towards
the completion of actions and projects. This report provides a structured
approach to facilitate this information exchange.
|
|
Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven – Tuesday 24 May 2022
Page
0
|
|
|
Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven – Tuesday 24 May 2022
Page
0
|
HT22.13 Homelessness
Interagency Submissions
HPERM Ref: D22/206113
Select: Olivia
Todhunter - Legal Aid NSW
|
Recommendation
The Shoalhaven Homelessness
Interagency recommend that the Homelessness
Taskforce consider the following propositions as crisis, short-medium term,
and long-term strategic priorities:
1.
Crisis Term:
a. Council to negotiate the meanwhile-use of vacant
properties as crisis accommodation for rough sleepers throughout winter
period.
2.
Short-Medium Term:
a.
Disincentives for properties that are used
as short-term holiday homes/ Incentives for owners that rent their properties
on long-term leases (12 months+).
b.
Requirements for developers to create
percentage of any new developments as affordable and/or social housing units.
c.
Push for State Government to expand social
housing stock in Shoalhaven region.
d.
Evaluate
Local Governance rules to maximise support
for housing developments.
3.
Long Term:
a.
Lobby for increase of statutory income
supports (Centrelink) to Centrelink recipients to maintain basic living
expenses amid growing rental costs.
|
Details
The Shoalhaven Homelessness
Interagency involves representatives from a broad variety of welfare organisations
across the Shoalhaven Local Government Area. Interagency members meet on a
monthly basis to provide agency updates and examine opportunities to assist in
the response to the housing crisis and support those experiencing (or at risk
of) homelessness in the community.
The Shoalhaven Homelessness Interagency submit the following
propositions for Shoalhaven City Council to act on or raise to State and
Federal Government for further action:
Crisis term:
1. Council to
negotiate the meanwhile-use of vacant properties as crisis accommodation for
rough sleepers over winter.
a. e.g. vacant
properties that are awaiting construction or pending DA approvals etc could be
used as temporary hubs for rough sleepers over winter
b. e.g. Bridge
tavern is currently empty and could be used to get people off the streets in
the next few months and connected to services who would otherwise struggle to
find and assist rough sleepers who are regularly moved on etc.
Short-medium term:
1. Disincentives
for properties that are used as short-term holiday homes/ Incentives for owners
that rent their properties on long-term leases (12 months+).
a. Shoalhaven is
disproportionately affected by 6-month leases that leave our clients often
homeless over the holiday period when properties are turned to Airbnb’s
and holiday homes, at the time of year when services are their most stretched
already.
b. Short term
leases lead to increased pressure on support services, refuges and social
housing providers, let alone the impact that they have on clients mental
health, ongoing schooling and employment.
2. Requirements for
developers to create percentage of any new developments as affordable/ social
housing units.
a. Address
NIMBY-ism at the first stages
b. Ensure increase
to affordable housing in the future as the need grows
3. Push for State
Government to expand social housing stock in Shoalhaven region.
a. Emphasis on
freehold assets (not head leasing) and appropriate housing for vulnerable
clients (including low density housing, large houses and accessible units).
4. Evaluate local
governance rules to maximise support for housing developments.
a. e.g. can local
parking regulations be changed to support the building of boarding houses and
crisis accommodation?
Long term:
1. Lobby for
increase of statutory income supports (Centrelink) to Centrelink recipients to
maintain basic living expenses amid growing rental costs.
Questions that the Taskforce
may answer:
1. How many
properties in the Shoalhaven LGA are being used as primary residences and
holiday homes, or are vacant?