Shelter NSW supports the Housing Minister’s pilot key worker housing scheme – but says a lot more needs to be done to provide affordable housing for low-to moderate-income earners.
And without more money, there is a risk that expansion of the scheme using public housing could lead to even more severe rationing of a scarce resource for low-income earners.
Shelter NSW says there is an emerging need to ensure key workers get affordable housing within reach of their work, and this is being revealed by its own research.
'The fact is we need more money for public housing after a constant decline in funding over the past decade.
'It is also the fact that many people both on low and moderate incomes are being forced out of the private market by high rents – and the needs of all of these people have to be addressed,' said Mr Harvey Volke, acting executive officer, today.
'There is much more that could be done to provide affordable housing, for example in raising private finance, in levying private developers, or in requiring reasonable percentages of affordable housing in new developments.
'If the Minister changed the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, this would enable a sufficient quantity of key worker housing to be provided in lots of new locations around Sydney.
'At the moment, the powers to levy affordable housing in new developments are severely limited and apply to only a handful of developments in Sydney.'
Shelter NSW is currently undertaking a joint project with the Labor Council and UWS surveying hundreds of essential service workers about their work, transport, housing costs and family life. The initial findings show that many are commuting fairly long distances, or paying high housing costs.
'Our current joint research project on workers and housing is indicating that many workers are sacrificing time, money or both to find affordable housing. Many are commuting long distances, or paying high rents.'
The results of the joint study will be presented at the ‘A future that works’ conference at Newcastle University in December.
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