Northern Rivers Housing and Homelessness Crisis: A Call to Action

The Northern Rivers’ leading local government organization is urgently calling on both the NSW and Commonwealth Governments to intensify efforts to address the severe housing and homelessness crisis plaguing the region.

Michael Lyon, Chair of the Northern Rivers Joint Organisation (NRJO), expressed profound concern over the latest fgures showing Byron Shire once again topping the annual NSW Street

Count for rough sleepers.

“Secure, affordable housing is a fundamental human need, essential for the liveability and wellbeing of the Northern Rivers communities,” Chair Lyon stated. “The current level of homelessness in our region is utterly unacceptable.”

Chair Lyon pointed out the stark disparity in funding for homelessness services, noting that while Sydney receives relatively high levels of support, regional areas like the Northern Rivers suffer from grossly inadequate funding.

“We urgently need a signifcant funding commitment from both levels of government.

Our region’s need is the greatest, and the regional inequity is beyond comprehension,” he said.

The NRJO’s submission to the Australian Government’s proposed National Housing and Homelessness Plan last year underscored the crisis’s aggravation due to extraordinary population growth during the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastation from the 2022 food disaster.

“We have consistently communicated to both the NSW and Commonwealth Governments that social housing levels in the Northern Rivers are critically low, comprising only one to four percent of all housing stock in our member councils’ areas,” Chair Lyon added. “Adequate social and affordable housing is crucial for helping our most vulnerable citizens transition out of homelessness. Every community member in our region deserves safe, dignifed housing.”

Improving community wellbeing now and into the future is one of the fve strategic regional priorities established by the NRJO. A central goal in achieving this priority is enhancing the availability, affordability, and diversity of housing to meet the current and future needs of the Northern Rivers population. To this end, the NRJO and its member councils are committed to partnering with relevant government and non-government organizations to support increased access to social housing and crisis accommodation services across the region.

By Tim Howard

Yamba residents concerned about development on foodplains have a chance to voice those concerns this Friday when State Government committee looking into residential planning visits the region.

Members of the Portfolio Committee 7 will tour sites in West Yamba during the morning to get a frst hand look at the issues residents have faced as more developments come to council for development in the region.

After the February/ March 2022 food events, which inundated many homes in West Yamba, residents have become concerned more development would put people at risk during rain events and increase the severity of the fooding for existing building owners.

Residents group Yamba Community Action Network said it would be good for as many residents as possible to come to the Carrs Dr area