Twenty new townhouse style units will be built in Goulburn to cater for the growing demand for public accommodation.
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The $7 million social housing development, on the southeast corner of Hume and Mary Streets in the city's south, involves demolition of five existing homes, owned by the Department of Justice and Communities.
The State's Department of Planning, Industry and Environment approved the units in June. It did not have to consult with Goulburn Mulwaree Council. However, it will pay the council $92,000 in infrastructure charges.
The two planned double-storey brick buildings will house 12 one-bedroom units and eight two-bedroom units. There will be 14 car-parking spots and landscaping on the block. This includes retention of a 19-metre high oak tree, which is to be the centrepiece in a shared space.
Upstairs units would feature private balconies and downstairs ones - their own courtyards, a Land and Housing Corporation spokesperson said.
The development will also take in a section of Mary Street currently occupied by two homes owned by the Department of Communities and Justice.
The NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) will release a construction tender this month. Work is expected to start in October and be completed by mid to late 2021.
Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman said the project would support about 35 local jobs during construction and help revitalise the area.
"A green light on this project is great news for the Goulburn community, with local tradies and construction businesses to benefit from a boost in jobs and income, and safe, modern new homes delivered for those who need them most," Ms Tuckerman said.
The project will add to 20 units constructed for over 55s at BaptistCare's Clinton Street facility last year. The $5 million development was part of the State's Social and Affordable Housing Fund.
Figures showed that June, 2019, 216 people were waiting for public housing in Goulburn. An additional 11 required 'priority' or urgent accommodation. People were waiting an average five to 10 years for one, two and four-bedroom properties and two to five years for three-bedroom accommodation.
Anglicare's manager of Housing and Social Services, Toni Reay, said the project was "very welcome."
"We still struggle with demand and everywhere is looking for additional affordable housing, so any increase is great," she said.
Ms Reay said the national demand was confirmed in Anglicare's annual affordability snapshot. In Goulburn last year it showed there were no affordable properties for a couple and two young children on the Newstart allowance; none for a single person with two young children and receiving a single parenting payment; five for a couple without children and receiving an aged pension; and one for a single parent and one child on a single parent allowance.
There were also no affordable houses for singles on the age pension, Newstart allowance, those receiving the youth allowance and for singles aged over 21 in receipt of the disability support pension.
Ms Reay said bushfires and then coronavirus had also heavily impacted. More people needed priority housing and local agencies had worked closely together.
"We work closely with the Department of Communities and Justice...to ensure people are housed, whether that's short-term or temporary accommodation," she said.
"We also have an exit strategy for each client. There is intensive case management and we look at the private rental market too. The Department has a lot of things in place to make it easier for them to access housing."
Anglicare is part of the Everybody's Home nationwide campaign for more affordable housing. Peak bodies are pushing for a national housing strategy, more help for first home buyers, relief for those in rent stress and to end homelessness by 2030.
Ms Reay said Anglicare had fielded more requests for emergency relief, such as food, as people waited for JobSeeker applications to be approved.
"Financial stress is the bigger issue. It turns into housing stress and that is (hard) for everyone," Ms Reay said.
She told The Post that Goulburn was very fortunate to have a close network of agencies that worked well together to meet needs.
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Louise Thrower
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
If you have a story to tell, drop me a line at louise.thrower@austcommunitymedia.com.au or call 0418 229 678.
