ALBURY Council is set to tackle the lack of affordable housing in the city by investigating a deal with a community provider to assist the needy with accommodation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The plan was endorsed by councillors on Monday night at their final meeting this term and provoked criticism that it should not be a responsibility for the city.
Councillor Darren Cameron said Albury MP Justin Clancy and the NSW government should be addressing the lack of public housing.
"Affordable housing is essential and is a human right and it should be provided, but not by the ratepayers of Albury who have to bear the cost of so many other things and that's before wacky (election) candidates get going on indoor aquatic centres or deconstructing Albury's flood mitigation scheme to make it look pretty," Cr Cameron said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Deputy mayor Amanda Cohn said it was apparent the council should take action, given the problems of a heated housing market that had been made clear to her.
"In my work at community health I'm hearing story after story of people being evicted because the landlord is selling to turn a profit and I know people who have been on public housing wait lists for up to three years," Cr Cohn said.
She noted other NSW councils had entered into agreements with providers of social housing.
"I think that in a community where we've got an out of control homelessness that we really should be considering other options that might be available to us and not shirking that responsibility," Cr Cohn said.
Councillor John Stuchbery, who moved the motion calling for the investigation, said the city would have to wait a "very long time" for the state government to act on the issue.
He noted the council had been involved in developing industrial land at the NEXUS estate and airport.
"This council has a history of investing in land-based developments and I don't see why we couldn't invest in some community housing and potentially some of these people could even be paying rent and there might be some income to be generated," Cr Stuchbery said.
Meanwhile, the council on Monday night agreed to retain an objective for its CCTV policy that the network "decrease the Albury LGA's rate of criminal behaviour for assault (non-domestic violence), steal from retail, malicious damage, and resist or hinder officer".
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark https://www.bordermail.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @bordermail
- Follow us on Instagram @bordermail
- Follow us on Google News.