Absent in much of the ‘TOD Talk’ has been any significant discussion of what the NSW Government might itself deliver, on its own land, in these denser transit precincts in the form of social (and affordable or specialist) housing. We have dedicated time and research to this topic and recently provided the NSW Government with our ideas (refer below).
Like many, we keenly await the outcome of the Government’s vacant public land audit, a key election promise (refer image). A recent ABC Sydney Radio program discussed this very issue – wondering what social and affordable housing opportunities might be found in what they understand to be over 5,000 identified pieces of land.
Journalist Sarah Macdonald interviewed Rick Graf from private developer Billbergia about development on public land at Lidcombe and West Ryde (both next to train stations) that will see social and affordable housing delivered under terms struck under thje prvaious government. Shelter NSW John Engeler called into the program to remind listeners that the Homes NSW (previously Land and Housing Corporation) project at Arncliffe also being discussed, was not in fact ‘vacant’ land but a long-standing public housing site that was being redeveloped.
You can listen to the 10–15-minute discussion, introduced at the head of the program and picked up 5 minutes later with John joining at the end of the discussion.
NSW Labor 2023 Election Platform
For more information:
- Read the Sydney Alliance letter, where along with unions, community and faith organisations we called on the NSW Government to honour its ‘30%’ commitment… on scale
- Homes for All: Social and Affordable Housing Opportunities around Train Station a comprehensive and informative paper produced for Shelter NSW by Dr Gary Cox (with a depth of relevant UK experience). This paper is supported by a short and helpful Shelter NSW
- February 2024 Media article noting post the NSW Budget Estimates process that the land audit (was) yet to unearth any sites for housing
- Paper prepared for Shelter NSW by Cameron Murray & Peter Phibbs in November 2021: Reimagining the economics of public housing at Waterloo reminding readers that there are various ways for social housing to be bult on public land include directly by government and/or with Not-For-Profit Community Housing as the lead developer.