Council pushes for more affordable housing
Image: Greens Councillor Daniel Kogoy / Photo: Twitter
Leichhardt Council has announced it will renew the push for more affordable housing across the Inner West for low and middle-income earners.
Mayor Darcy Byrne called for a radical shift in the debate on affordable housing, voicing his concern the Inner West is becoming untenable for low income earners and the middle-class, and people are being forced out of the area.
“We need a big change in the housing market,” he said. “This is not simply an issue for low-income earners. We have thousands of people like teachers and nurses who built Inner West communities, who are now being forced out due to lack of affordability.”
Mr Byrne said there needed to be greater housing supply to create an anti-inflationary effect. He said this could be achieved through greater government spending, opining the State and Federal Government needed to contribute more for housing.
Nonetheless, Mr Byrne was unspecific in regards to policy, suggesting more pressure needed to be placed on the State and Federal Governments. Mr Byrne said regulations on developers should be more stringent, including affordable housing in their projects. He foreshadowed he would organise a forum of local councils across the Inner West to address housing.
Greens councillors were supportive of the move to bring affordable housing back to the local agenda.
Greens Councillors Rochelle Porteous and Daniel Kogoy touted past achievements, with Mr Kogoy highlighting the fact the Greens established an affordable housing fund in tandem with Anka Constructions. The Greens stressed their support for recent affordable housing projects across Parramatta Rd.
Mr Kogoy was also unspecific about policy, but flagged introducing a plan to build affordable housing above Council’s Hay St car park to ease the burden for what he termed “desperate local families”.
“Larger blocks on Victoria Rd and Norton St are also on our radar,” he said.
Mr Kogoy was critical of Labor’s past involvement in improving affordable housing.
“Darcy Byrne opposed the Anka affordable housing fund,” Mr Kogoy said. “Labor removed affordable housing in Marion St for parking.”
Mr Kogoy said he would work with Labor on future affordable housing policy.
Liberal Councillor Vera-Ann Hannaford was contacted for comment but did not return calls.
