Lismore City Council’s Housing Grant program spurs growth in affordable housing

Since its inception in July 2023, Lismore City Council’s Housing Grant initiative has garnered signifcant interest, with 28 applications received for the construction of new units and dwellings meeting the Affordable Housing criteria. This program, supported by a dedicated fund of $1.2 million, operates on a ‘frstcome-frst-serve’ basis, aiming to invigorate the development of affordable housing options within the community.

Under the Housing Grant program, eligible projects can receive $15,000 per new dwelling, spanning across six distinct categories:

1. Secondary dwellings,

2. First home buyers undertaking new construction,

3. Relocation of foodaffected dwellings within Lismore LGA, 4. Construction of new dwellings within Lismore LGA by recipients of a buyback from the NSW Reconstruction Authority,

5. Housing built by Community Housing Providers (CHP) or

Indigenous Community Housing Organisations (ICHO), and

6. Multi-dwelling housing projects developed under agreements to be managed by a CHP for affordable rental purposes for a minimum of 15 years.

Eber Butron, Council’s

Chief Community Offcer, expressed optimism seeing individuals accessing the grants to bolster new housing endeavours. He emphasized the collaborative effort needed from all levels of government to combat the housing crisis, with Council leveraging funds from a Federal Government program earmarked for affordable housing initiatives.

Mr. Butron highlighted Council’s array of initiatives aimed at stimulating affordable and diverse housing options, including discounts and deferrals of developer contributions and a partnership with Landcom to develop over 50 dwellings on Council-owned land. He underscored Council’s commitment outlined in the Affordable and Diverse Housing Strategy adopted in 2023, which delineates actionable steps and collaborations to augment housing stock for underserved target groups.

The Federal Government’s Building Better Regional Cities program funds the Housing Grants, with 80 grants to be disbursed on a ‘frst-come-frst-serve’ basis until the allocated funds are fully utilized.

Interested parties can access a Fact Sheet outlining the program’s criteria and application process on Council’s website.