Suitable sites for affordable housing will be the focus of the new Council Affordable Housing Land (CAHL) Proposal.
It was decided at Central Coast Council’s meeting on October 26 to prepare a plan to identify Council-owned sites which could be used for affordable housing partnerships.
The proposal forms part of Council’s Affordable Housing Strategy and is a direct response to the lack of affordable house currently available to meet increasing demand.
“Most of the need for affordable housing on the Central Coast is from very low-income households, and from the bottom half of the lower income band and lower income families,” said suspended Mayor, Lisa Matthews.
“Affordable rental is particularly important for these groups.
“However, the private market is not providing affordable accommodation and is unlikely to do so even with strong planning intervention.
“The direct creation of social and affordable rental housing for diverse groups including lower income key workers, older pensioners and retirees, people with a disability, people at risk of homelessness, very low and low income families, will be necessary to meet the growing need for such housing in the future,” the suspended Mayor said.
It was also decided at the meeting that councillors hold a workshop before March, but that is uncertain since Administration on November 2.
The workshop was to include economic information/modelling of identified suitable sites, options to deliver affordable housing, including partnerships with providers, and an outline of a process that ensures transparency and good governance.
Sue Murray