Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Recommendations Determined
Moved by Councillor Maxwell, seconded by
Councillor Wilson (Arkins) -
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
since
2011, the City of Sydney has been working with Community Housing Providers and
others by selling discounted land and properties worth $31.6 million. This has
led to 301 affordable and 40 social housing homes built in our area, with
another 400 affordable and diverse homes in the pipeline;
(ii)
completed
projects include:
(a) 104 affordable homes built by City West
Housing in Zetland as a result of the 2011 discounted sale of City land at the
former South Sydney Hospital site;
(b) 75 affordable homes built by to City West
Housing in Glebe as a result of the 2013 discounted sale of City land near the
former Harold Park raceway; and
(c) 122 affordable and 40 social homes built by
St George Community Housing as a result of the discounted sale of the City’s
former Marian Street depot in 2016;
(iii)
projects
in the pipeline include:
(a) 106 affordable homes being built by St
George Housing, as a result of the 2016 discounted sale of City land at 338
Botany Road Alexandria;
(b) 275 affordable homes being built by City
West Housing, as a result of the 2016 discounted sale of City land at 330
Botany Road Alexandria;
(c) 10 affordable homes for young people at risk
of homelessness at 545-549 South Dowling Street Surry Hills as result of a
discounted long term lease to the Property Industry Foundation;
(d) 2 affordable apartments for women with
mental illness experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness in
Potts Point, as result of a discounted sale of residential properties to the B
Miles Foundation in 2024; and
(e) 7 homes for the first ever housing
cooperative for trans women, as result of the discounted sale of property in
Darlinghurst to Common Equity with All Nations Housing Cooperative in 2024;
(iv)
expressions
of interest are open for building and operating a new affordable aged care
facility at 49 Cope Street, Redfern, closing on 28 February 2025. The City of
Sydney has been doing great work in this space and looking at many innovative
options to help tackle the housing crisis;
(v)
Inner
West Council plans to convert four car parks into 200 affordable homes for
essential workers, doubling the current affordable stock while retaining land
ownership and replacing lost parking;
(vi)
councils
have the ability to potentially repurpose car parks, shops, and depots into
housing options if the land is being underutilised;
(vii)
on 15
May 2023, Council resolved to request the Chief Executive Officer to undertake
a new audit of vacant City of Sydney properties that may be utilised for the
purposes of affordable housing or community use;
(a) this resulted in the sale of residential
properties in Potts Point and Darlinghurst, which will lead to 9 additional
homes; and
(b) in the 20 December 2024 CEO Update, staff
advised that a further audit looking at other surplus land is in process and
will be reported to Council;
(viii)
the NSW
Government is auditing land, supporting repurposing parking lots without
affecting green space;
(ix)
repurposing
such land could significantly boost below-market rental housing, offering
affordable options for lower-income residents to stay in the Local Government
Area; and
(x)
in
December 2024, Council approved the Affordable Housing Contributions Review,
identifying a need for 12,000 affordable dwellings by 2036, and resolved to ask
the Chief Executive Officer to assess the potential of 54-56 Erskineville Road,
Erskineville as a suitable location for social or affordable housing and report
back to Council. Repurposing underutilised land could fast-track progress
toward this target; and
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
ensure
the further audit due to be reported to Council includes all City car
parking infrastructure and vacant land. The report should assess potential
sites for retaining public carparking spaces beneath housing developments to
maintain existing public parking where possible; and
(ii)
consider
the feasibility of offering the NSW Government the opportunity to buy the City
out of its lease of the carpark on Goulburn Street in the Sydney CBD on
favourable terms, for the purpose of developing the site into affordable
housing for key workers.
Carried
unanimously.
X113762
Report author: Erin Cashman
Publication date: 17/02/2025
Date of decision: 17/02/2025
Decided at meeting: 17/02/2025 - Council
Accompanying Documents: