Sth Eveleigh public housing redevelopment
The NSW Government has announced plans to redevelop and expand the social housing dwellings on Explorer Street and Aurora Place in South Eveleigh.
Jenny Leong MP issued a media release regarding this announcement and commented,
"As the impact of the pandemic is growing daily, we need to ask why the NSW Liberal National government is still selling us all short by planning to privatise 70% of these redevelopments which are on valuable public land.
We are holding a community meeting on Tuesday 8th December from 6pm - 7pm
We are keen to hear your thoughts on this proposal and to share our concerns about the planned redevelopment.
Register here to attend this Zoom community meeting.
Details of this proposal and links to the Land and Housing Corporation information webinars as well as feedback options can be found here.
We have been informed by the Land and Housing Corporation that:
- the planning process will take some two years, after which residents will be given at least 6 months notice of any requirements to relocate temporarily.
- that all current residents will have the right to return to live on this site in the proposed redeveloped dwellings.
Post Covid social and affordable housing recovery
Our post Covid economic recovery should include large scale investment in social and affordable housing. NSW can fast track building infrastructure that will provide a buffer to the most disadvantaged in the post Covid economic and social downturn by building and renovating homes that people can afford.
A state led affordable housing boost will support the construction industry by building urgently needed social and affordable housing, not fast-tracking private developer projects with no positive community outcomes.
Social and affordable housing should be funded as urgent infrastructure with government investment providing a safeguard against increasing social disadvantage.
We believe that the following initiatives will ensure that housing is affordable, sustainable and available to those who need it and are most impacted by the economic downturn facing us all.
- Large scale investment in building social and affordable housing including 30,000 social homes per year for 10 years
- 100% social and affordable housing on public land - reject Communities Plus housing formula and audit all available state land and properties
- No sell off of public land or public housing
- Councils to be funded to fast track Local Housing Strategies and Affordable Housing Policies to prioritise and maximise affordable housing
- Mandate 30% affordable housing on private housing developments
- End no grounds evictions and provide post Covid rent relief funding and continued moratorium on evictions with no arrears debt.
- Housing First approach to homelessness with no limit on temporary accommodation and increase in funding for specialist services and support.
- Zero emissions housing and retrofitting of existing housing
- Reform private student accommodation and build-to-rent planning instruments
NSW has a large social and affordable housing deficit with a 10 year waiting list for social housing.
The recent Equity Economics report commissioned by NCOSS, “A Wave of Disadvantage across NSW: Impact of the Covid-19 Recession” offers some extremely concerning statistics including a 24% increase in families experiencing housing stress and the same increase statewide in individuals experiencing homelessness with some regions in the state experiencing a 40% increase.
The Anglicare Rental Affordability Update from August this year indicated that ‘renters are on the frontline of the Coronavirus pandemic.’ The findings show that a person who is unemployed can only afford 1% percent of rentals – and that’s with the increased Job Seeker payments. With Job Seeker reduced, affordable rental availability will plummet with only 13 rental listings out of 77,000 being affordable.
Everybody’s Home is calling for 500,000 social and affordable homes nationally by 2026 and 5,000 social homes per year for 10 years in NSW.
Glebe and Eveleigh social housing redevelopments shortchange the public
The government’s announcement of two social housing redevelopments in Glebe and Eveleigh are designed to open up valuable public land to private development rather than to maximize the development of new social and affordable housing says NSW Greens MPs, Jenny Leong and Jamie Parker.
Greens NSW Response to ‘A Housing Strategy for NSW’ Discussion Paper May 2020
The NSW government released a discussion paper in May 2020 on a Housing Strategy for NSW. Jenny Leong MP, NSW Greens spokesperson on Housing and Jamie Parker MP, NSW Greens spokesperson on Planning made a submission on behalf of the NSW Greens. The following is an extract from this submission.
As a matter of protocol and a mark of respect, we acknowledge it always was and always will be Aboriginal land and pay our respects to Aboriginal elders past, present and emerging.
We also submit that ‘A Housing Strategy for NSW’ must prioritise ensuring Aboriginal housing needs are met along the housing continuum. This means resourcing Aboriginal-led homelessness services, supporting Aboriginal-led community housing providers, pro-actively involving Aboriginal-led organisations in the development and implementation of this strategy and recognising through reparation that the land that is the focus of this strategy is stolen land that was never ceded.
Our Recommendations:
- Incorporate plans for genuine consultation and input from Aboriginal-led organisations both in the development and implementation of the NSW Housing Strategy
- Recognise the need for reparations given that the land all of this housing will be delivered on is stolen land
- Ensure adequate resourcing and support for Aboriginal-led homelessness and housing services as well as community housing providers
- Identify housing as a key component of the State’s infrastructure priorities
- Establish an integrated Housing portfolio in NSW with a single Minister who has responsibility across private, public, community and rental housing areas, combined with the establishment of a Housing Ombudsman
- Incorporate specific actions to progress protections for renters and advance rental reforms which enable security of tenure, affordability and habitability for renters in to the NSW Housing Strategy
- Commit to large scale government development and provision of public, social and affordable housing as housing options for a range of tenants with varying incomes
- Mandate 30% affordable housing in new private rental housing developments
- Commit to ending homelessness and ensure there are no exits to homelessness from state institutions or as a result of family violence or economic disadvantage
- Recognise the climate crisis as a key driver for strong action in the housing strategy and include actions to progress zero emissions sustainable housing and large scale retrofitting of existing homes.
Call to Premier for Moratorium on Evictions and other urgent Housing and Homelessness measures
Today I called on the Premier and Minister Gareth Ward MP (Families, Communities and Disability), Melinda Pavey MP (Water, Property and Housing) and Kevin Anderson MP (Better Regulation and Innovation) to take urgent steps to ensure that people in NSW have a safe, secure, affordable and habitable place to live - from renters to public and social housing tenants and those who are homeless. At the top of the list was our call for a Moratorium on any evictions of rental tenants during this period.
Read or download the full letter here.
Jenny Leong MP Asks the Minister About Safety Audits for Public Housing
Jenny Leong MP, Greens Member for Newtown has asked the Minister for Families and Communities to reassure residents of public housing in Redfern that their safety is assured following a recent fire.
Read moreOur community is not for sale
October 2018 - South Sydney Herald column
There’s a lot going on right now in our local community when it comes to infrastructure, but not in a good way! The NSW Liberals and their big business mates seem hell bent on taking all they can from our neighbourhoods, and much less interested in giving us anything we actually need in return.
Our community is vibrant, caring and creative. We value our public housing, our public schools, our public parks, our public transport. We recognise the need for significant investment in public services, including healthcare – and especially mental health support. We know that to end the housing crisis we will need to invest in more public, social and affordable housing. We know that privatisation and leaving it to the market doesn’t lead to better outcomes or address inequality.
Read moreMinister Goward inforces unfair bond on public housing tenants
Greens NSW Housing spokesperson, Jenny Leong MP has condemned the Minister for Family and Community Services and Social Housing, Pru Goward for pushing through legislation which will force unfair bonds and conditions on public housing tenants while allowing for mandatory evictions.
“This latest punitive attack on public housing tenants comes right in the middle of Homelessness Week and means that some public housing tenants will end up homeless and on the street,” she said.
Read moreMinister Must Explain Real Reason for Punitive Public Housing Strategy
Responding to the latest reporting today on the NSW Government’s Local Allocation Strategy which shows that hundreds of innocent people may be excluded from accessing public housing in the inner city, Greens NSW Housing and Homelessness spokesperson Jenny Leong has questioned the motives of such a move.
“Given the recent fudging of the public housing waiting list numbers by the department, we are calling on the Minister for Family and Community Services to immediately reassure the public that this latest ‘strategy’ isn’t a cynical ploy to further reduce the waiting list without actually housing anyone.
Read moreGreens Oppose Handouts to Big Developers
The Greens today opposed the Berejiklian Government's bill to give a massive tax handout to developers, and to instead put the revenue into public housing. Read her speech below:
Read more