Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy

Overview 

Council’s adopted Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) sets out a range of measurable Actions over the short, medium and long term which identify how Council can assist with the provision of Affordable Housing. As part of these, short term action 1.4 requires the setting of strategic principles for Affordable Housing. The intention of these Principles is to guide Council’s work and activities which have a role in helping the delivery of affordable rental housing and improving rental affordability. These Principles are intended to eventually be added to Council’s Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) – Our Shoalhaven 2040.

Draft Affordable Housing Principles 

1. Location, Access, Connectivity: Affordable housing should be located to reduce transport disadvantage, with convenient access to essential services such as public transport, employment areas, education, health services and community infrastructure. 
2. Housing size and Type Diversity: Affordable housing should provide a diverse mix of dwelling sizes and types that reflects and responds to the assessed needs of the local community. The assessment of the communities’ affordable housing need will use a range of inputs such as census and demographic data.
3. Quality, Safety and Sustainable Design: Affordable housing must meet or exceed building standards to ensure safety, accessibility and amenity, while integrating environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient design. Innovations in building design, including modular housing and manufactured housing, are supported where they reduce costs and delivery timeframes. New homes will provide sufficient car parking to support shift, essential, and other workers who need to use private vehicles. Universal design and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles should be incorporated to support ageing in place, meet accessibility needs, reduce crime, and enhance safety.
4. Social Inclusion and Community Wellbeing: Affordable rental housing should be designed and delivered in ways which fosters inclusive, connected, and resilient communities. Developments should support mixed tenures and diverse demographics, minimise social isolation, and integrate seamlessly into existing neighbourhoods.
5. Long-Term Affordability and Security: Mechanisms such as planning agreements, land covenants, or long-term arrangements with registered community housing providers should be used to secure affordable housing assets in perpetuity and ensure stable, long-term tenure. 
6. Partnerships and Collaborative Delivery: Affordable Housing delivery should be underpinned by strategic partnerships between Council, community housing providers, Aboriginal housing organisations, other levels of Government and the development industry. These partnerships will prioritise collaboration on funding, land provision, planning pathways, and service delivery to maximise outcomes but also consider mechanisms which interact with or access the open market.
7. Strategic Use of Council and Government Land: Council and government- owned land should be used to enable or incentivise affordable rental housing where this delivers clear community benefit and aligns with these principles. Land use and strategic property decisions should prioritise highest community value, not solely financial return.

Council invites the community to provide feedback on our Draft Shoalhaven Affordable Housing Strategy.

Please view the draft document in the Document Library prior to providing your submission. 

Please provide your feedback by completing the form below by 5pm Friday, 12 July, 2024.