Decision details

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.

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