'2,500 affordable dwellings needed by 2036': Bega Valley Council to vote on draft housing strategy

Housing is defined as 'affordable' when very low, low, and moderate income households are able to meet their housing costs and still be able to afford food, clothing, transport, medical care, and education.

This is generally where households pay less than 30% of their household income on housing.

The draft report suggests that the lack of affordable housing has a serious impact on employment growth and economic development and adversely impacts the whole region.

There are a number of reasons why there is a lack of housing affordability in the Bega Valley Shire.

Medium household incomes are much lower than average and Bega falls into the most disadvantaged 13% of areas in Australia. Eden falls into the most disadvantaged 11% of areas.

Short-term letting and holiday accommodation is double the rate of regional NSW, 19% compared with 9%.

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The rates of private and social housing is lower than all rates in NSW. Only 19% of all occupied private dwellings are privately rented compared with 27% for NSW.

Only 3% are rented as social housing, compared with 5% for NSW, an already low figure.

At the time of writing the report, Judith Stubbs found that there was a vacancy rate of only 0.5% in the private rental market and 50% in the short-term rental market.

The Bega Valley has an ageing population and the annual growth to 2036 is expected to be mostly amongst those aged 70 and older, but currently housing consists mainly of separate housing.

There is a gaping hole in the market for smaller villas, flats and units, or affordable seniors' developments.

These are just some of the many reasons why the rental market has continued to stagnant, however the intention of the paper was to offer strategies which can be implemented at Council level.

The first strategy is that Council benchmark 'affordable housing' as based on income assessments relating to a household's income. A low income for example if $627-1001/week and the affordable benchmark would be $189-$300 per week.

Strategy two would be that Council adopts a target as 2,500 additional affordable housing dwellings by 2036, with a priority for very low and low income households and at least 100 for those with special needs including those at risk of long-term homelessness.

Strategy three is that the Council adopt key performance indicators including:

Strategy four focuses on at least maintain and manage existing social housing, a selective approach to redevelopment of existing stock and recommends the funding of at least 150 new social housing dwellings.

Strategy five focuses on Council seeking alternative housing options for the growing number of homeless and at risk people in the Shire as a matter of urgency. For example, through the investigation and advocating for the use of publicly owned land for the development of an affordable manufactured housing estates.

Strategy six involves investigating the idea of house sharing and support in the development of shared housing costs and support for conflict resolution as required.

Strategy seven involves requests for changes to be made to the environmental planning and zoning requirements to increase supply of well-located smaller strata dwellings.

Strategy eight looks at council seeking increased housing diversity and affordability by changing zoning of Greenfield areas and on infill sites.

Strategy nine advocates that Council actively support the development of quality new generation boarding houses and/or co-housing facilities.

Strategy ten looks at trying to create more long-term affordable options in caravan parks through state government developed guidelines.

Strategy eleven finds ways that Council can capture part of the uplift associated with land value rises.

Strategy twelve suggests Council should investigate the viability of an Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme.

There are 12 additional strategies outlined in the draft housing strategy. The strategy can be accessed here, at agenda number 9.2.

On Wednesday November 3, Council will vote on whether the draft housing strategy will be exhibited to the Bega Valley Shire from which point the public will be able to make their submissions.