13 NOVEMBER 2020
ISSUE 268
COSS land safe … for now
News
Like so many other community activities, NAIDOC Week 2020 looked a lot different on the Central Coast this year. See page 7
Out&About
Central Coast Council Administrator Dick Persson has announced Council will borrow $50M and sell $30M worth of assets in an attempt to address an expected $89M deficit. Environmentally sensitive lands such as those in the Coastal Open Space System (COSS) will be safe, with the asset sale “more likely” to be buildings.
The Naughty Noodle Fun Haus theatre show, Slipstream, will premiere at this year’s Digital Melbourne Fringe Festival.
See page 25
The $50M loan will be taken as part of its Business Recovery Plan but details of the loan remain confidential.
See page 19
Business
See page 26
Persson has also announced that open forums will be held before each Council meeting allowing up to 10 residents to talk on any topic pertinent to Council. See page 14 Rumbalara Reserve, East Gosford
Rise in Airbnb puts squeeze on long-term rental accommodation Finding a home to rent on the Central Coast is becoming increasingly difficult, with more people moving to the region and an increase in Airbnb short-term rentals leading to a huge drop in the number of available longterm leases. Data compiled by SeeChange Analytics show Airbnb occupancy rates averaging 60 per cent, surpassing January data, which is a year over year increase of over 20 per cent in most suburbs across the
Central Coast, excluding Wamberal. Founder of See-Change, Patrick Spedding, said it is important to point out this is the average occupancy rate for the whole month. “Data breaking out occupancy rates by weekday/weekend show that weekday occupancy rates are much lower,” Spedding said. “Typically, over 75 per cent of short-term rental accommodation sits empty during the week.” Data also shows that in
October, 28.5 per cent of dwellings in Pearl Beach were listed as Airbnb’s. Other suburbs which recorded having a high rate of the housing market as Airbnb’s include Killcare at 25.1 per cent, Macmasters Beach at 15.3 per cent, and Copacabana at 12.1 per cent. Meanwhile, the region-wide residential vacancy rate has fallen to below 1 per cent. “The increase in Central Coast property demand has seen the total number of residential rental vacancies
drop from 1,000 in January to around 200 in September, a drop of more than 80 per cent,” Spedding said. Many are feeling impacts of the rental crisis. Central Coast Newspapers spoke with one family of four who have been looking to move to the Coast for over a month but have had no luck. “We are both employed professionals in our mid-40s, and we have two sons aged 7 and 11,” the mother said. “So far, our application process has not been easy, and
Outdoor enthusiasts welcomed the opening on November 6 of the 4WD Supacentre See page 25
there is not much stock, we know. “I grew up on the Central Coast, and I am looking forward to bringing up my family here.” A Bensville family has also found it impossible to find ren t any accommodation over the past three months. They were initially looking for houses to buy, but with prices spiking and rentals hard to find, they have resorted to moving into a friend’s house. See page 7
Sport
Mariners club legend and alltime leading scorer, Matt Simon, will remain with the Club for the A-League season See page 40
Puzzles page 22
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