Moved by
Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by Councillor Chan –
It is
resolved that:
(A)
Council note:
(i)
the NSW
Government has plans underway to redevelop a large number of public housing
estates in the City of Sydney Local Government Area, including 82 Wentworth
Park Rd Glebe, the Waterloo Estate (South) and Explorer Street South Eveleigh;
(ii)
public
housing tenants in NSW have few if any rights in relation to plans to redevelop
the homes they live in. Public housing tenants do not have rights enshrined in
legislation or policy that enable them, for example, to determine how their
homes or their estate should be upgraded or redeveloped, control over when or
where they will be relocated during development, or that provide a right to
return once a development has been completed; and
(iii)
there
are few documents which guide good practice about how and when public housing
tenants can or should be involved or have a say over the development of their
homes. One example is the ‘Compact for Renewal’ developed with public housing
tenants, Shelter NSW, Tenants’ Union of NSW and the City futures Research
Centre UNSW, which includes principles such that tenants should be respected;
(B)
Council
further note that:
(i)
in
London, the London Assembly and the Mayor of London have established strong
requirements to ensure public housing tenants have a real say and control over
how public housing estates are upgraded or redeveloped;
(ii)
in
London, council planning documents such as ‘Better Homes for Local People: the
Mayor’s Good Practice Guide to Estate Regeneration (2018)’ require a ballot or
referendum of public tenants to be undertaken to approve plans to redevelop
their estates. Refurbishment rather than demolition is prioritised, and tenants
have a right of return to their original homes once they have been upgraded.
Proposals must prioritise increasing affordable (public) housing floor space,
and improve sustainability; and
(iii)
Council
Boroughs in London own public housing giving them considerable control.
However, in NSW, councils, including the City of Sydney, do not control public
housing or have any legislated powers in relation to tenant rights;
(C)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
provide
advice to Council about opportunities to create obligations through Council
documents, including planning documents, which promote and/or protect public
housing tenant’s voices and rights in relation to renovation or development of
public housing estates they live in; and
(ii)
otherwise
provide advice to Council as to what documents or guidelines Council could
amend or create to support public housing tenants’ voices and rights in
relation to redevelopment of public housing; and
(D) the Lord Mayor be requested to write to the Minister for Housing and the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces calling on the NSW Government to:
(i) consider international models for managing Social Housing redevelopment projects;
(ii) mandate a genuine right of return for all residents in Social Housing redevelopment projects; and
(iii) implement requirements to promote the rights of and engagement with Social Housing residents in the redevelopment of their homes.
Carried
unanimously.
X086659