After many years of patient waiting, the 1,500 plus public
housing residents of the Waterloo South public housing estate have recently
learned of the new government’s plans to redevelop the estate.
Today the NSW Government has announced its plans for the
development of the Waterloo South public housing estate (currently 749 public
housing dwellings) into a denser precinct of 3,000 dwellings.
Under plans pursued by the previous Government, 34% of the future
dwellings were to be social and affordable housing. The plans announced today
will see that increase to 50% with a very modest increase in social housing
compared to previous plans, but much more affordable housing.
The new plan aims to increase the number of social and
affordable homes in Waterloo South to 50%
(30% social and 20% affordable). This will result in approximately 500
additional social and affordable homes compared to the previous Government’s
proposed plan. Over the next 15 years, it is estimated that the current 749
public housing units will be replaced with 900 new community housing units, 600
affordable housing units and 1,500 private dwellings.
Over time, Shelter NSW has pushed hard to improve the
outcomes for the local community, people on the social housing waiting list and
the people of NSW. We have argued for substantially more social housing, the
inclusion of affordable rental housing and a guaranteed allocation for the
Aboriginal Community.
Today’s announcement falls short of what we had hoped for
but does offer a substantial improvement on the most recent NSW Government
plans.
We hope to see the various consortia competing for the
right to redevelop this estate deliver
well above the minimum requirements set out by the state government –
especially given the opportunities being offered by the Commonwealth.
Quotes attributable to Shelter NSW CEO John Engeler:
“At Shelter NSW we’ve long called for more affordable rental
housing – in addition to social housing,
not instead of it. We are pleased to see a substantial amount of affordable
housing being locked in for this site. This type of housing and tenancy offers
hope for the key workers, particularly those currently supporting the local
community to remain in the area”
“With over 700 households on the social waiting list in the
inner city as at June 2023 and a staggering 4,000 plus in neighbouring local
areas we have to ask where the social housing for those people will come from?
”
“The future Waterloo South will be a vastly denser precinct
– home to 3,000 households. Care must be taken to create a place where large
numbers of vulnerable people and lower-income people in general can reasonably
and happily live. That will require Government investment”
“We would love to see the various consortia, including
private and not-for-profit community housing developers, race to the top with
this proposal. Time for them to sharpen their pencils and deliver an even better
deal for the people of NSW’’.
“The Waterloo South site will be home to 1500 private
housing dwellings. We are calling for creative approaches for that component.
We’d like to see shared equity home purchases schemes included; seniors’
housing and how about some genuinely affordable student housing? And of course,
a BuildTo-Rent approach could be a game changer for the private renters who
will inevitably live there.”
“The NSW Government has the opportunity to create a showcase
community at Waterloo South. Here is a key opportunity to demonstrate ‘density
done well’, applying the principles of Inclusive Renewal”.
“Today’s announcement is about Waterloo South. We appreciate
that the Government has been constrained by the plans locked in by the previous
government. But when it comes to Waterloo Central and North all bets are off.
We expect the Government to take a substantially different approach to those
sites”.
For more information about:
• Shelter NSW. – we are independent, non-profit,
member-driven organisation that has been advocating for beter housing outcomes
since 1975. We represent the broad interests of a diverse network of members,
partners and aligned industry stakeholders who share our vision of a secure
home for all NSW residents. We are
especially concerned with housing insecurity, increasingly experienced by
people on low and very low incomes.
• Shelter NSW 2023 policy priorities: Five Key Asks
• Shelter NSW’s April 2022 submission on the Waterloo South
proposal: full submission
Media contact
• Cathy
Callaghan (Senior Policy Officer) cathy@shelternsw.org.au