Moved by Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by the
Chair (the Lord Mayor) –
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
student
accommodation remains some of the most highly priced accommodation in major capital
cities, including Sydney. The median unit rents for student accommodation far
exceeds even the median rents for other rental accommodation. For example – one
popular student accommodation provider in the City of Sydney charges $729 a
week for a large studio, $569 for a single room in a five-bedroom apartment and
$419 for a shared room;
(ii)
students
make an important contribution to the City of Sydney’s communities, cultures and economy. The City of Sydney is home to
approximately 40 per cent of all education providers in NSW;
(iii)
education
and training was the fifth largest export market in
the City of Sydney in 2020/21 (comprising 5.3 per cent of all exports). Two
hundred and eight thousand international students are enrolled to study in NSW
in 2023, 55,000 more than in 2022. In 2023, students are increasingly returning
to on-campus study;
(iv)
rental
market conditions in Sydney are particularly precarious for international
students, who are vulnerable to high levels of exploitation and scams. In
addition to high rental costs, international students experience work
restrictions and / or precarious work. During the Covid pandemic, the City of
Sydney supported a range of programs and initiatives to assist local and
international students, including support free food hampers and food banks;
(v)
according
to the 2022 City of Sydney Housing Audit, the number of student
accommodation rooms in the City of Sydney has increased by 173 per cent in the
10 years to 2022, from 4,223 rooms in 2012 to 11,529 in 2022;
(vi)
recently,
several higher education institutions within the City of Sydney have sold
student accommodation properties to private companies, including the University
of Sydney and the University of Technology Sydney, who are reported to have
collectively sold approximately $160 million in student accommodation
properties; and
(vii)
even
with the high cost of student housing rents, in January and February 2023,
media outlets began reporting that student housing in the City is at capacity,
that wait lists exist for many student housing providers, and a large number of students are at risk of homelessness; and
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
provide
a report to Council via the CEO Update, outlining the current support services
and programs which the City of Sydney provides funding for, for both local and
international students;
(ii)
include
advice about any current discussions with student bodies, education providers
or others about strategies to address the housing and cost of living pressures
faced by students; and
(iii)
refer
the issues outlined in this notice to the Housing for All Working Group, and to
the Multicultural Advisory Panel, for consideration and advice.
Carried
unanimously.
X086659