Housing Affordability Crisis

Housing

ACTION TO ADDRESS THE  HOUSING CRISIS IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS

There is hardly any affordable or secure housing available for people in our area to rent or buy. Many people have had to move out of the area, away from their friends, support networks, jobs, schools and community. Uprooting people is a symptom of a crisis not a cure for one.

We have seen unprecedented housing stress in the Northern rivers, brought about by: the rapid growth of an unregulated short-term holiday letting industry, increases of up to 30% in property values, almost no supply of rental properties for residents and urban buyers flocking to the area during Covid-19.

At any one time there are 2000-3000 houses in the Ballina electorate that have been booked through short-term holiday letting agencies. That’s an average of 6000 adults and 6000-10,000 children who reside in our community who could live in those homes if those properties were available as permanent rentals.

We must support people’s right to access secure, safe and affordable housing. Housing insecurity affects everybody in our community; the homeless, people in public and community housing, private renters, first home buyers, single parents, women, children and everyday working people.

To the NSW Premier and the State Government,

The housing crisis in the Northern Rivers is in desperate need of targeted solutions. To ensure people in our community have access to safe and secure housing options. We are asking you to:

  • Support Byron Shire Council to Regulate short-term holiday letting in Byron 
  • End no-grounds evictions in NSW, and
  • Amend the affordable housing SEPP to provide 30 year leases

Please sign the petition calling on the NSW State Government to take meaningful action to end the housing crisis in our region.

Who's signing

Joyce Morley
Kathleen Murphy
Suzanne Hutton
Monica Jut
Maureen Magee
Duncan Marshall
Linda Chapman
Ruth Haig
Alice Laganaro
Vivian S
Yvonne Lollback
Martha Regnault
Beryl Ford
Les Mitchell
Lesley Watt
Dianne Beckett
Christoph Steinbeck
Maria Pittman
Colleen Gonzales
Natalie Molloy
Grace Gallagher
Nick Smales
Llynda Nairn
Annie Nielsen
Kerrie Kitchener
Laura Shore
Terese Molloy
Maria Simpson
Cassie Douglas
1,165
10,000 signatures

Will you sign?


Showing 867 reactions

  • Joyce Morley
    signed 2021-04-05 10:32:20 +1000
  • Kathleen Murphy
    signed 2021-04-05 08:26:36 +1000
  • Suzanne Hutton
    signed 2021-04-05 06:22:41 +1000
  • Monica Jut
    signed 2021-04-04 10:46:58 +1000
  • Maureen Magee
    signed 2021-04-04 08:09:20 +1000
  • Duncan Marshall
    signed 2021-04-03 20:32:11 +1100
    Similar impact in Shoalhaven where we live. State owned housing has been sold off. Private rental market is skewed to holiday letting. Property values and rents have pushed ever upwards, and rental scarcity is at crisis level. Public intervention by building community housing (not just bureaucrats’ regulations) is required, is economically productive, can establish rental standards. It worked better that way in the past when public housing was a larger portion of the market.
  • Linda Chapman
    signed 2021-04-03 16:00:37 +1100
  • Ruth Haig
    signed 2021-04-03 14:04:40 +1100
  • Alice Laganaro
    signed 2021-04-03 01:07:22 +1100
  • Vivian S
    signed 2021-04-02 22:40:59 +1100
    Sensible pro community solution is for council to regulate short term accommodation leasing.
  • Yvonne Lollback
    signed 2021-04-02 16:07:44 +1100
    Everyone deserves a home.
  • Martha Regnault
    signed 2021-04-02 15:47:32 +1100
  • Beryl Ford
    signed 2021-04-02 13:41:54 +1100
    Home, shelter. security these are are the ground stones of civilised societies it is hard to imagine just how distressing not to have a home must be. Holiday lets are profit activiities and should take second place to the needs of supplying homes. There. are ample commercial hotels, cabins etc for those fortunate enough to be able to afford holidays
  • Les Mitchell
    signed 2021-04-02 12:10:25 +1100
  • Lesley Watt
    signed 2021-04-02 11:30:49 +1100
  • Dianne Beckett
    signed 2021-04-02 11:18:55 +1100
    It is the same or worse on the Far

    South Coast. Our Shire lost 470 homes in the bushfires and people are still living rough. We urgently need crisis, transition and social housing.
  • Christoph Steinbeck
    signed 2021-04-02 10:45:10 +1100
  • Maria Pittman
    signed 2021-04-02 10:22:45 +1100
  • Colleen Gonzales
    signed 2021-04-02 09:52:02 +1100
  • Natalie Molloy
    signed 2021-04-02 07:53:58 +1100
  • Grace Gallagher
    signed 2021-04-02 07:37:14 +1100
  • Nick Smales
    signed 2021-04-02 07:30:59 +1100
  • Llynda Nairn
    signed 2021-04-02 06:51:43 +1100
  • Annie Nielsen
    @AnnieNielsen6 tweeted link to this page. 2021-04-01 23:39:13 +1100
  • Annie Nielsen
    signed 2021-04-01 23:38:40 +1100
  • Kerrie Kitchener
    signed 2021-04-01 23:09:44 +1100
  • Laura Shore
    signed 2021-04-01 21:49:38 +1100
    We need financial incentives for home owners who holiday let to rent long term to locals.
  • Terese Molloy
    signed via 2021-04-01 20:50:09 +1100
    I’m definitely saying NO to STHL’s ~ it’s ruining the fabric of our town!
  • Maria Simpson
    signed 2021-04-01 19:12:53 +1100
  • Cassie Douglas
    signed 2021-04-01 18:47:38 +1100