Housing providers joined together at a local forum today in a renewed effort to tackle the acute social and affordable housing crisis gripping our region.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said her second major forum on housing and homelessness, which aimed to draw on providers’ expertise in the sector, had agreed to establish a working group to explore workable recommendations and actions, including advocacy.

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“Housing is a desperate human need for an increasing number of local people who are homeless or on the verge of homelessness in our Electorate of Lismore and neighbouring coastal areas, across the State and nationwide,” Ms Saffin said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has also reshaped property market forces to such an extent that working people on low to middle incomes cannot afford skyrocketing rents or the cost of buying a first home.

“I pledge to work with the working group, many of whom are undertaking innovative projects in their own right, to continue advocating to the NSW Government on the critical issues of housing affordability, housing supply and homelessness.

“We will be closely examining the NSW Government’s just-released Housing 2041 strategy and 2021-22 Action Plan, which has received a lukewarm reception from some local mayors and councillors but which may provide some opportunities.

“While the Australian Government’s latest Budget sadly had no new incentives to encourage housing supply, it announced some assistance to first-home buyers and single parents to enter the property market.”

Represented at today’s forum were North Coast Community Housing, Social Futures, Momentum Collective, Northern Rivers Community Gateway, Homes North Community Housing Limited (Tenterfield), St Vincent de Paul Society, BaptistCare, Anglicare North Coast, The Winsome, CASPA and Australian Red Cross.

The Northern Rivers Joint Organisation, for which housing is a strategic regional priority, Lismore Mayor Cr Vanessa Ekins, Tenterfield Shire Council Community Development Officer Ms Rebekah Kelly and Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also attended.