Shoalhaven Council will investigate 'Affordable Housing Development Contribution Scheme' to ease housing crisis

Shoalhaven City councillors think they might, and now that idea will be put to the test.

At its Monday evening meeting (November 14) council voted unanimously to investigate starting an 'Affordable Housing Development Contribution Scheme'.

If the idea holds up, it could mandate developers to provide affordable housing with every new subdivision or apartment block in the Shoalhaven, by either:

Cr John Wells put the idea to council as part of his Affordable Housing motion.

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Speaking to the motion, Cr Wells said the scheme could tackle the housing crisis head-on by using council's planning powers - namely, voluntary planning agreements.

"To its great credit, this council has done much in this space... but underlying all of the developments, I couldn't escape the feeling that we were playing around the edges," he said.

"We really needed a well grounded planning base and funding arrangement that could drive sustainable provision of housing going forward.

"As soon as a developer comes into council with a proposed subdivision, or an uplift to medium density or apartments, there is a contributions scheme or voluntary planning arrangement which provides land or monetary contribution - or both - for social and affordable housing."

Peter Dover, of Nowra's Salt Ministries and Salt Care, made a deputation to the council meeting advocating for the motion.

Being at the coalface of the housing crisis, he has seen the situation escalate for years.

Mr Dover pointed out that at the heart of every housing issue in New South Wales, there are people and communities waiting for the state government to step in.

But they're waiting for help that's not coming.

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He said council's decision to find a new way was assertive and community focussed.

"The council has achieved a lot over the last five to six years, with the affordable housing strategy, the homelessness taskforce, and the homelessness strategic plan that's being ironed out right now,' Mr Dover said.

"But all these achievements bring us back to the same place: that we still rely on the New South Wales government to come up with all the funds for us to do something with affordable housing.

"This is about having a restricted fund set up so new developments going forward can all pitch in, and it all comes together to be distributed to affordable housing, to homelessness services - to help the most disadvantaged in our community.

'It's about taking back control, and about us understanding what matters to our community.

With unanimous support for the motion, a great deal of work will begin behind the scenes at Shoalhaven City Council.

As per the motion, council staff will investigate whether an 'Affordable Housing Development Contribution Scheme' will be viable, and if so, how it would work.

It will have to fit in with a host of state and local laws, the council's policies and planning, and finances will have to be looked at to establish an affordable housing fund.

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Also in line with the motion, council staff will review Shoalhaven City's existing Affordable Housing Strategy.

Cr Wells included instructions to 'identify and confirm the work council can undertake to contribute to improving housing affordability and increase the supply of affordable (rental) housing'.

This work will continue into the new year. During 2023, the completed works and plans will likely come back before council.

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