Labor housing pledge

NSW LABOR leader Chris Minns has pledged to invest a further $30 million to deliver more housing in regional areas and introduce the ‘Build-to-Rent’ program in the Northern Rivers region.

Under the plan, Landcom will be tasked with delivering the extra rental stock over two years. Landcom would identify existing surplus government land and work with local government on potential sites.

Any properties built on surplus government land will be subject to Labor’s mandatory requirement of 30 per cent of dwellings to be used for social, affordable and universal housing.

Rental properties will be managed by an appropriate government agency such as Teacher Housing or recently announced Homes NSW, or a community partner with any profits to be reinvested into social housing.

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said local people must have the security of a roof over their heads for themselves and their children.

“And a practical scheme like this is one way towards achieving this goal,” she said.

Labor candidate for Tweed Craig Elliot said Labor’s Fresh Start Plan, which includes the Build to Rent project, will make housing “more affordable and accessible for the people of NSW”.

Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson MLC said NSW Labor accepts there is an affordable rental crisis in NSW.

“The Northern Rivers and North Coast were already struggling with increased rents and historically low vacancy rates prior to the flooding, and the situation has now become extremely serious,” she said.

“Labor will put $30 million on the table to directly intervene in the regional housing market on the Northern Rivers and North Coast to deliver more affordable places to rent.”