City of Sydney to contribute $3m to affordable housing in Glebe
Image: Andrea Castelli, Creative Commons
by GRACE JOHNSON
The City of Sydney has reaffirmed a $3 million contribution to the development of 39 homes in Glebe in Sydney, providing affordable housing for almost 100 residents.
The $3 million will be made as a contribution to Wesley Mission’s development of the 39 homes.
One of the largest Christian not-for-profit organisations in Australia, Wesley Mission will redevelop their currently vacant RJ Williams building, which is located at 274-276 Glebe Point Road. The redevelopment will provide affordable housing and accomodation for low-income families struggling with the rising cost of living.
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore AO said, “We are in an increasing housing crisis, which is making owning or renting in Sydney unaffordable for many. The problem is particularly acute in the inner city, where the supply of affordable and social housing is nowhere near the demand.”
“Access to affordable housing is essential for a diverse, cohesive, and economically successful global city, but more importantly, is a basic human right, which is why the City uses all the levers at our disposal to create more affordable housing in the area and help organisations overcome financial barriers in this kind of housing development,” she continued.
The original development application was previously approved in 2020, however Wesley Mission diversified the types of homes in its proposal in response to changes in the way people live and work following the pandemic and an increase in demand for affordable housing from families.
A modification application for the development was amended and approved in August 2023.
The development is designed with several communal spaces and to cater for people at different life stages.
Wesley Mission CEO, Reverend Stu Cameron said, “The development comprises 39 well-appointed apartments with a total of 56 bedrooms including a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom configurations that can accommodate singles, a couple or family group.”
“Glebe is an ideal location for affordable housing with easy access to employment, education and public transport. Our hope is to create a community within the wider community, recreating the village environment within the inner city.”
Glebe has been home to contentious redevelopments in the past few months, with 82 Wentworth Park Road now set for demolition. The building, which currently houses 30 people, will be demolished and replaced with a building that houses 50. Meanwhile, thousands of homes across Sydney have been left empty, even as the housing crisis persists.
