Housing industry summit discusses housing crisis

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY OPTIONS

for Central Coast workers and the crisis that some 30% of local residents now face was the focus of some 150 local community and business leaders as well as local politicians at the Central Coast Housing Summit in early September.

Also contributing to discussion were representatives from the Central Coast Local Health District, Central Coast Council, University of Newcastle, Urban Development Institute of Australia Central Coast Chapter and the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council which is the largest private landowner on the Central Coast.

Sponsored by Business NSW, Regional Development Australia Central Coast and Pacific Link Housing the Forum also heard from Minister for Housing Anthony Roberts MP who announced that an Urban Development Programme would be extended to the Central Coast. Mr Roberts said, “this Programme will take charge of the co-ordination and delivery of a steady supply of housing, jobs and infrastructure on the Central Coast.”

In her opening address to the Summit, Senior Director NSW Regions and Visitor Economy for Business NSW, Paula Martin, highlighted the issues facing the housing crisis.

“Whilst NSW’s Population will grow 1% every year until 2040 the Central Coast is not far behind growing at 0.7% every year swelling to over 400,000 residents or an additional 56,000 residents by 2040. The importance of today’s discussion for business cannot be underestimated,” she said. Leaders from across the building, property development, health and social housing sectors discussed the issues confronting the region in a panel format

Ms Martin said that we will need over 70,000 jobs to meet the needs of the region’s local growth and over 43,000 homes to accommodate our population needs.

“A recent business conditions survey conducted by Business NSW clearly showed that businesses on the Coast have the capacity to grow but are hampered by labour shortages. Our jobs advertisements have doubled since 2019 with over 2000 jobs advertised across the Coast last month.”

“The speed of which we fill these jobs is interrelated with our capacity to offer housing affordability options for our working locals. Minister for Housing, Anthony Roberts MP addresses the Summit

Average weekly rent on the Central Coast is $620 and the Rental affordability index shows the region is unaffordable in every suburb, with the exception of some suburbs through to Toukley just pass as affordable.

Just over 6% of our population or 22,500 receive rental assistance and we share the same rate of homelessness as Newcastle

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