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Tweed Shire Council’s Affordable Housing Strategy
changed more in the last 50 years than it did in the 250 years leading up to it. And this is certainly not a bad thing.
As Richard Bach, author of Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, once said, “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof.” And even when they do, it is the all-important ‘respect and joy in each other’s life’ that constitute the oft-missing glue to the deep bond that defnes the most loving families.
When I think of my own upbringing, and the family unit I was a part of, I’m not sure they understood everything I did, but the one thing I do know, is that they supported me, without gripe or snipe, and they had my back, whether I deserved it or not, and for that, I couldn’t be more eternally grateful.
Like a slowly developing polaroid picture, I’ve often turned a comment over in my mind by Jennifer Donnelly, who once said, “Together in our house, in the frelight, we are the world made small.”
Small but infnitely, and intricately made large, large enough to acquire a perceived relevance despite all externals that might suggest otherwise; because our families are a surface, if not a magnifying glass that refect and project at our feet, the world in all its myriad splendour. Or as Pierce Brown once suggested, “Home isn’t where you’re from, it’s where you fnd light when all grows dark.”
By Jeff Gibbs
Tweed Shire Council is actively engaging the community to gather insights and solutions for the development of a new draft Affordable Housing Strategy, aimed at addressing the pressing housing crisis in the Tweed region. Declaring a housing emergency in 2021 in response to unprecedented challenges in housing affordability and accessibility, the Council is now focused on formulating a strategy to provide sustainable, affordable housing for the community’s future.
The Tweed Affordable Housing Strategy is being developed alongside the Growth Management and Housing Strategy 2041, which identifes areas for housing diversity, including affordable and social housing. Once completed, this strategy will offer clear guidance to Council and community housing providers on unlocking new opportunities for affordable housing.
In Phase 3 of the strategy development, the Council is seeking direct input from the community through a survey. This survey aims to gather opinions on integrating new social and affordable housing developments within local neighbourhoods, the necessity of higher density housing for fnancial viability, potential solutions to enhance the supply and choice of social and affordable housing, and alternative methods to support low-income earners in accessing housing and essential services.
Mayor Chris Cherry emphasized the importance of community participation in addressing this critical issue, urging residents to complete the survey. The Council recognizes the urgent need for affordable and social housing, particularly considering the high rate of homelessness and the growing number of individuals and families experiencing housing insecurity in the region.
According to Iain Lonsdale, Coordinator of Council’s Strategic Planning and Urban Design Unit, the Tweed is confronted with concerning statistics, including rental and mortgage stress due to housing supply shortages and escalating property prices. Currently, only 2.9% of total dwellings in the Tweed are designated as affordable and social housing, with nearly half of households experiencing rental stress.
The Council is committed to collaborating with government bodies, industry stakeholders, housing providers, and the community to address the housing crisis effectively. The defnition of affordable housing encompasses rental properties accessible to households with very low, low, or median incomes, allowing them to meet essential living costs.
The development of the Affordable Housing Strategy progresses through four phases, with Phase 4 focusing on drafting the strategy for public exhibition later this year. Community input is vital throughout this process, and residents are encouraged to participate by completing the online survey available on Council’s Your Say Tweed page or providing feedback via email, mail, or in-person at Council offces.
By actively engaging the community and stakeholders, Tweed Shire Council aims to develop a comprehensive Affordable Housing Strategy that addresses the diverse needs of residents and ensures the availability of safe, secure, and affordable housing options in the Tweed region.