We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land and water; the people of Yuin Country.
11 July 2024
Labor for Eurobodalla lodges its submission to Council's Draft Housing Strategy and is disappointed that Council is is not proposing to tackle the Affordable Housing issues that face residents in the Eurobodalla.
Sharon Winslade, Labor's Mayoral Candidate in the upcoming local Council elections has lodged Labor's response to Council's Draft Housing Strategy.
The submission was a culmination of the work of a dedicated team of Labor Party members across the Eurobodalla, who researched other local council background reports and established housing strategies, as well as relevant case studies. These were compared with Council's background report and Draft Housing Strategy.
The team found that Bega Shire Council has been working on its housing strategy since 2020 and implemented its Affordable Housing Strategy in 2022. Shoalhaven Council commenced its work on Affordable Housing in 2017, seven years ago, and is about to review progress.
Both Councils have committed to play an active role in meeting the needs of its residents with a range of housing choices that are affordable. In its submission to Council Labor said that ".....Council should produce and implement an Affordable Housing Strategy based on the model adopted two years ago by Bega Shire Council as a response to the same problems facing the Eurobodalla."
Sharon said
"I am extremely disappointed that our Council has chosen to 'offer' we residents a Housing Strategy that does not seek to actively address our current and future housing needs."
"Council's own background report says that private providers - the market - cannot meet 80% of the housing needs of the Shire - but then offers little in its draft strategy to address these needs."
"Unlike other Council's background reports on affordable housing, our Council did not ask for its report to include any recommendations on how it could actively contribute to reducing housing stress and affordability. That's why Council delivered a Housing report and a Draft Housing Strategy - no mention of Affordable."