Where:

Virtual, via Zoom

When:

Thursday 25 November, 2021, from 4pm. 

Shelter NSW 2021 AGM

The Shelter NSW 2021 Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday, 25 November, 2021 virtually, via Zoom, from 4pm. 

Earlier this year, Shelter NSW committed itself to better understanding regional communities and the variety of housing issues confronting them. Having increasingly turned our attention to the regions in 2021, we will focus on some of the issues identified at our 2021 AGM.

The meeting begun with a guest speaker - Garry Fielding, Independent Chair of the Regional Housing Taskforce. He presented on the findings of the Taskforce to date, as well as the broader housing issues affecting regional NSW.
His presentation was followed by highlights from our recently completed Regional Housing Need report - what we found and how we will be using this information to further our advocacy work across the state over the coming year. The report was prepared for Shelter NSW by the Regional Australia Institute, and Researchers Katherine Bassett and Geraldyne How presented the findings.

In 2022, Shelter NSW aims to ramp up its advocacy for regional communities – drawing on its deep understanding of and advocacy for a dramatically increased stock of social, affordable and diverse specialist housing across the state.  

The first half of the meeting (to 5pm), was open to all and the recording of this is available here. This was followed by the standard AGM business from 5-6pm for Shelter NSW members only.

Where:

Virtual, via Zoom

When:

Thursday October 14th, 2021, from 4pm

Tickets:

Register via Eventbrite here

Notes:

Full agenda to follow

Shelter NSW Local Housing Forum

It was fantastic to see over 130 people on our screens for our Local Housing Forum on October 14th 2021, discussing how Councils can deliver stronger outcomes on affordable housing for their communities. We hope it inspired everyone to get curious about, or active in, their own Local Council elections! It was great to be joined by more than 10 current Councillors or candidates in the upcoming elections, as well as a number of Council staff from different LGAs across NSW. We look forward to developing these relationships over the next few months as we find ways to deliver stronger housing outcomes for communities across the state. 

For anyone who is interested in reviewing the content that was covered in the session, or who couldn't make it on the night, a recording of the full session can be found here: Local Housing Council Election Forum - Shelter NSW, Oct 2021.

Policy Officer, Stefanie Matosevic, presenting to our Local Housing Forum

Where:

Virtual, via Zoom

When:

November 26th, 2020, 4:00pm-6:00pm

Tickets:

By November 19th, here or by emailing admin@shelternsw.org.au or calling (02) 9267 5733

Notes:

*Please RSVP to receive a copy of the agenda and nomination forms

Shelter NSW Annual General Meeting 2020

As a valued supporter of Shelter NSW, we would like to extend an invitation to you to attend our Annual General Meeting. All members are invited and encouraged to attend.

If you are not yet a member but would like to become one, or are an existing member but have not yet renewed, we invite you to complete your application before the AGM via the application form on our website.

We send a big thank you for the support and encouragement you have given Shelter NSW, and look forward to your continued affiliation with us over the next year.  

Where:

via Zoom

When:

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020, 4:00-5:00pm

Tickets:

Free

Coolah Home Base: Building on Uncertain Foundations

The Coolah 'Home Base' was born as a dream for independent, autonomous community living for retirees. Older Australians with modest incomes invested their life savings to convert a caravan park in regional NSW into a co-op headquarters for their 'grey nomad' lifestyles. Their dreams were shattered when a dispute about community management spiraled out of control, ending with their land being sold from under them and threats of eviction. Tune in to the recording of this webinar to hear the residents' story; why they invested, where it all went wrong, and the ongoing legal battle they are fighting to win back their beloved retirement community. Residents David, Margaret, Christine and Geoff were present at the Webinar to field questions from attendees.

The story of the Coolah Residents should be a warning to all about the insecurity of housing in Australia.

Hosting the webinar was John Engeler, CEO of Shelter NSW, joined by Shane McGrath, Senior Retirement Housing Worker at the Housing for the Aged Action Group (a not-for-profit community organisation that specialises in older people’s housing justice), to provide context about the wider housing issues older Australians face. Finally, Nick Sabel, CEO of Common Equity (NSW’s peak housing co-operative body) discusses ‘intentional communities’ like Coolah Home Base and the reforms needed to foster their success and avoid other older people falling into a similar situation.

As pensioners, the legal costs of this fight have been exorbitantly expensive for the residents of Coolah 'Home Base'. They have started a GoFundMe crowd-funding campaign to cover these fees and continue their legal proceedings to win back their homes.

Follow the link to help out. All contributions go a long way to supporting the residents in their fight! https://au.gofundme.com/f/caravan-park-help

Where:

via Zoom

When:

Thursday, 25th February 2021, from 4:30pm

Tickets:

Exclusive and free for members

Notes:

RSVP by email to admin@shelternsw.org.au

Shelter NSW February Members Meeting

Beginning on February 25th, 2021, Shelter NSW is commencing a series of quarterly members meetings - closed forums in which our members can discuss current housing issues and ways in which we at Shelter can effect change.

The meeting will start at 4:30pm and run for an hour and a half, with presentations from our staff and time for open discussion on the key topics.

We will start with an introduction and Acknowledgement of Country at 4:30pm sharp, followed by a run through of meeting etiquette and the full agenda, and a welcome from our CEO, John.

At 4:45pm we'll then get an overview of our Research Agenda, with a focus on our two priority projects - severe overcrowding, and affordable housing - presented by Senior Policy Officer, Ryan Harris. 

Just after 5pm, SPO Cathy Callaghan will give a presentation on the housing issues facing regional NSW communities, and lead an open discussion on how best we can engage with these issues. Whether you live in Bathurst or Bondi, we are eager to hear your ideas, stories, and thoughts on this topic, so please come prepared to share and join in with the discussion!

The meeting will then start to wrap up around 5:45pm, and finish on time at 6pm.

We will be using the ideas and feedback we hear from you to strengthen our work over the next few months, so come prepared to share!

If you are a current member and would like to attend, please contact us by email at admin@shelternsw.org.au to receive the Zoom meeting details.

Where:

Online, via Zoom

When:

Thursday, August 26th, from 4:30pm

Tickets:

Contact admin@shelternsw.org.au

Notes:

This Members Meeting will also be combined with a Special General Meeting, which will be held directly after the Members Meeting as per the agenda below. At this SGM we will be proposing the following Resolution:

“That the Shelter NSW Constitution – in particular clauses 16, 17, 20, 21, 22 and 23 – be amended in accordance with the proposed wording.” (This wording was circulated with the official notice for the Special General Meeting on Friday, July 30th 2021).

Shelter NSW August Members meeting

It is time for Shelter NSW’s third Quarterly Members Meeting! This meeting will be held online (via Zoom) on August 26th from 4:30pm. Please RSVP to admin@shelternsw.org.au ASAP if you are a member and would like to attend, and we will forward on the details.

This time, we will be discussing the current local organising work of the Sydney Alliance that is being carried out in LGAs across Sydney in the lead up to this year’s Council elections in December. Shelter NSW has, over the last few months, helped several teams of local leaders to discern and research their key 'asks' around affordable housing. These asks will be put to Councillors and Council candidates in Assemblies throughout the next few months, in a process which we hope will drive real change at a local level, while also strengthening the capacity of these communities to self-organise and take action again in future.

At the Members’ Meeting, we will hear from guest speakers including local leaders from these teams, as well as the Lead Organiser of the Sydney Alliance, David Barrow and Shelter NSW's Membership & Engagement Officer, James Sherriff. We hope you will join us for this discussion, which will reflect on our work so far and strengthen it moving forward.

Agenda

4:30pm-5:25pm – Members Meeting

  • Welcome
  • Introductory explanation of the campaign and Shelter's involvement
  • Speakers to discuss their experience
  • Open discussion, reflections on the  campaign, and how it relates to the broader work of Shelter NSW
  • Future Actions

5 minute break

5:30-6:00pm – Special General Meeting

  • Introduction and explanation of proposed amendments
  • Discussion
  • Vote on amendments
  • Close

We hope to (virtually) see you there! Please RSVP as soon as possible if you would like to attend. If you didn’t receive the official notice for the SGM, please contact us on admin@shelternsw.org.au so we can resend the proposed wording for your consideration.

Take Action!

The support of activists, communities, and organisations across NSW is crucial to our work at Shelter NSW. Sign up to be a member now and help us in our fight for a fairer housing system.