Minutes of the Affordable Housing Action Taskforce
Meeting Date: Monday, 22 September 2025
Location: Jervis Bay Room, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 4.00pm
The following members were present:
Mayor Patricia White - Chairperson
Clr Luciano Casmiri
Clr Jemma Tribe
Clr Karlee Dunn (Remotely)
Clr Ben Krikstolaitis (Remotely) – Left at 5:34pm
Clr Selena Clancy (Remotely)
Mr Ron Silberberg
Mr Peter Wells
Mr Paul Mitchell
Mr Craig Hadfield
Mr Graham Sweet
Ms Kahlia Miller
Ms Rachel Foster – The Housing Trust
Ms Sue Brown – Homes NSW
Ms Jennifer Macquarie - Property Council of Australia
Mr Eric Coulter – Southern Cross Housing
Mr Nathan Boulous - Urban Development Institute of Australia (Remotely) – Left at 6:00pm
Ms Renee Knight - Care South (Remotely)
Ms Sarah Date – Safe Waters (Remotely) – Left at 5:53pm
Ms Liza Butler – MP South Coast (Remotely) – Left at 5:43pm
Mr Ben Folkard – Member for Gilmore Representative
Others present:
Mr Marcus Devenish – Homes NSW (Remotely) – Left at 6:00pm
Mr Michael Oelfse - Homes NSW (Remotely)
Mr Gordon Clark – Acting Director City Development
Mr Matthew Rose – Acting Section Manager – Strategic Planning
Ms Kristy O’Sullivan - Strategic Planner
Ms Grace Walker – Strategic Planner
Apologies were received from Jenayah Gunson, Alex Pontello, Peter Dover and Fiona Phillips.
Nil
|
AH25.1 Overview - Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy (2024) |
HPERM Ref: D25/400736 |
|
Staff presented to the Taskforce on the current Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy that was adopted by Council in late 2024. The information presented to this Taskforce will be made available on Councils website as an attachment to these minutes. Discussions focussed on utilising surplus government owned land and land owned by other institutions, the need to increase the supply of all forms of housing, the interactions of the proposed audit of Council land with Council’s current land sales program, and the opportunities provided by manufactured home estates (MHEs). Mr Ron Silberberg offered to draft a discussion paper about the opportunities presented by MHEs, with Council staff noting the NSW Government is reviewing and updating its policies and guidance for MHEs. Mr Silberberg was invited to use the “External Member Report Template” to request the opportunity to present his proposed paper. In relation to the action in the Strategy regarding a possible Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme Action, Mr Paul Mitchell queried whether there are any estimates of the volume of funds and or assets that may be generated within a reasonable period, and what the potential is for creating social, and or, affordable housing in concert with a Community Housing Provider (CHP). Staff advised that this question would be taken on notice and an estimate of potential fundings that could be generated under an Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme will be part of future reports on this action. Ms Jennifer Macquarie raised the opportunity for a group of councils (Illawarra-Shoalhaven councils or similar, neighbouring councils) to develop a joint scheme to provide an offering of sufficient scale to attract market investment. This opportunity can be considered when the Taskforce examines the potential work to implement the action requiring the preparation of an affordable housing contributions scheme. The Taskforce discussed the Short-terms actions in the Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy, and members were asked to review the actions following the meeting and respond to the Manager – Strategic Planning with the actions they see as priorities. The Taskforce noted that the Housing Monitor statistics provided were very helpful and that they would like to receive an update on these statistics as an ongoing agenda item as updates to the data become available. It was also requested that the following link to the housing monitor be provided in the minutes: Shoalhaven City Council | Housing Monitor A copy of the Community Infrastructure Strategic Plan 2017-2036 (CISP) will be distributed with these minutes, as requested by the Taskforce. The current CISP 2017-2036 can also be found on Councils website here: Community Infrastructure Strategic Plan. It was also noted that the CISP 2017-2036 is currently under review, with detailed information on project milestones available on the project webpage at: Community Infrastructure Strategic Plan (CISP) Review | Get Involved Shoalhaven |
|
|
Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority) That the Taskforce accept this overview report on the current Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy (2024) and the associated presentations for information. |
|
|
That the Taskforce: 1. Accept this overview report on the current Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy (2024) and the associated presentations for information. 2. Receive an update in regard to the Housing Monitor statistics and an ongoing agenda item, as updates to the data become available. 3. Review the Short-term Actions in the Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy and provide any feedback/thoughts on priority Actions to the Manager – Strategic Planning. |
|
|
AH25.2 Delivering Affordable Housing - Roles and Responsibilities of Agencies, Organisations, and other Stakeholders |
HPERM Ref: D25/397504 |
|
Mr Eric Coulter - Southern Cross Housing provided a presentation to the Taskforce about their organisation and the services they provide in relation to social and affordable housing. The information presented to the Taskforce will be made available on Councils website as an attachment to these minutes. Ms Rachel Foster – Housing Trust provided a verbal presentation to the Taskforce about their organisation and the services they provide in relation to social and affordable housing. The following are some of the key points provided: · Housing Trust are a CHP in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven who operate in a similar manner to Southern Cross Housing. · The Housing Trust has received funding from the Housing Australia Future Fund for certain projects. · As a CHP, the Housing Trust builds with the intent to retain stock, which makes it more expensive to build, but can pay off in future maintenance costs. Mr Marcus Devenish – Homes NSW provided a presentation to the Taskforce about their organisation and the services and assistance they provide in relation to social and affordable housing. The information presented to the Taskforce will be made available on Councils website as an attachment to these minutes. |
|
|
Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority) That the Taskforce accept this report and the associated presentations for information. |
|
|
That the Taskforce accept this report and the associated presentations for information. |
|
General Business
Short Term Rental Accomodation & Longer Term Lease
Mr Ron Silberberg queried whether there is Information on the interplay between short term rental accommodation (STRA) and longer term lease?
Staff noted that information on this can be found in the Short-Term Rental Accomodation Research paper.
The Taskforce continued to have a discussion around the complexities that exist in the interplay of STRA , long term lease and affordable housing.
There being no further business, the meeting concluded, the time being 6:01pm.
Mayor Patricia White
CHAIRPERSON