With the Northern Rivers region now one of the most popular areas in Australia for people to relocate to, how will our local leaders will tackle the growing ‘housing crisis’?

We know that in Lismore LGA, rent costs are rapidly rising and there is a shortage of available rentals. With property values at an all time high, we also know that local home owners are selling to make a good profit. But what does this mean for locals and new residents who want to live here?

With a Lismore City Council election approaching on December 4, the Lismore App asked each of the mayoral candidates what they will do to help alleviate the shortage of rental homes, create more affordable housing options and places where new homes can be built.

Vanessa Ekins - current Lismore mayor and Greens candidate Vanessa Ekins

“There’s no crisis when it comes to housing development stock, that’s a furphy.

“The State Government has set quotas for housing, telling Council much rezoned land we need for development in order to address the growing population.

“The issue is that land holders are sitting on land waiting for house prices to increase before they develop.

“We have 2000 house blocks about to be put on the market and another 1000 North Lismore, Hidden Valley, and Chilcott’s Grass.

“These lots will be expensive, probably $250,000 just for a block of land. Council also has lots of house Development Approval requests at the moment, so the planning department is busy.

“But this doesn’t address the need for affordable housing.”

In recent council meetings, Cr Ekins voted against the proposed housing development on the North Lismore Plateau and against the Platypus Park development in Goonellabah.

Affordable Housing Strategy

“Affordable housing is a priority for council and it’s something I put up a motion to pursue in Council.

“It’s a slow process, but it’s underway. We are currently creating an Affordable Housing Strategy, and this will see future developments have a certain proportion of them as affordable housing. We have been consulting with the industry to find out what the barriers are.

“Projects will be in partnership with organisations like North Coast Community Housing, which has already started constructing affordable housing on MacKenzie Street.

“Council has already identified two blocks of land we own which are earmarked for affordable housing projects. We are going to tender for design and construction and will see what market will do and hope construction will start next year.

“We want to make sure developers consider it – not just build for their own profits.

“We need to change to build smaller houses with different building design too.”

Rental situation

“There’s nothing Council can do to alleviate the rental situation. We can only lobby state and federal governments to invest in social housing.

“It’s a real worry and the community needs to talk to State and Federal representatives about what matters to them.

“The problem is that houses have become commodities – not a basic right. We need to change tax laws and get rid of negative gearing. We need to provide accommodation for everyone, close to services before people can make a profit from housing.”

Steve Krieg – Independent candidate Steve Krieg

“We need more homes for families in our region. Local Government is the most important level when talking about the housing crisis.

“Local Government approves development applications for all housing. Currently this process takes a very long time.

“Council needs to make it easy for land to be released. This will allow Lismore and its villages to grow in line with the rest of the Northern Rivers region. This will go a long way in reducing current exorbitant house prices and rental values.

“Council approves DAs for all housing, including social and affordable housing. The quicker Council can release land, the more homes will be available for families.

North Lismore Plateau

“The North Lismore Plateau is a good example of this. It has been on the books for nearly 20 years, with the potential to provide over 1,000 new homes for families. It is disappointing that current Councillors have

delayed these processes time and time again.

“We need to allow for residential growth to provide homes for families Lismore has fallen behind under the direction of our current Council.

“There have been many bad decisions that can impact the future of our region - knocking back the Lismore Square expansion, denying more homes for families by rejecting housing development.”

Patrick Healy - Independent Lismore candidate Patrick Healey

“House prices are going up and are less affordable. Lismore needs to approve DAs and allow more housing stock to be built.

“One problem is that council doesn’t acknowledge how hard they made it to do a DA. There are too many rules around what people have to do.

One stop DA shop

“We need a ‘one stop shop’ DA process, so people get a holistic process and it’s easier to say yes to developments. We will align council rules with the state rules - to get DAs through quicker.

“We will actively promote land development for mid sized housing and social housing – so we can increase supply.

Negative growth

“Lismore has had a negative population growth for 10 years and then Covid came and hit our housing market hard. It’s a lack of planning and foresight by council and we need to be more open to development.

“We have young families leaving the area – there’s no housing or employment opportunities here.

“We have to be pro growth.

Social housing

“Lismore has a large disadvantaged population and we need to take that into account.

“We need more social housing and I would work with State Government to get more grants on social housing .”

Darlene Cook - current councillor and Labor candidate Darlene Cook

“We have an affordable housing crisis. Even nurses, police officers and teachers can’t afford the $600K building land building packages here now.

“Ten years ago, council was given building better regional cities funds. We tried an affordable housing project and had lots of interest, but none were brought to market.

“The government allowed us to retain the money if we could get an affordable housing strategy in the pipeline.

“We now have some projects planned on council owned land for 1 and 2 bed apartments in partnership with community housing providers to build and manage next year.

Subdivisions

“There are currently 1300 housing lots in Council’s draft management strategy, but we can’t force land developers to make the subdivisions and bring it to market.

“In Nimbin, we also haven affordability crisis – locals are priced out of their own village.

North Lismore Plateau

“I voted for the North Lismore Plateau Development of 85 lots on the hillside, directly off Dunoon Road. Historically, the original DA by Winten was taken out of the hands of council by the Joint Regional Planning Panel who approved it – then Micky Ryan took them to court and it was overturned.

“Even though the mayor used her casting vote to stop this development, I voted for the Platypus Park development in Goonellabah.

“I spoke to the developers. It has the same density per acre as the adjacent Regatta Estate – but instead of having square boxes, the developer tried to work with slopes of hills.

“I know there was some criticism about fill, but council staff ordered it. The developer also lots of work on storm water basins to go with contours of the hill.”

Shop top apartments

“Creating more shop top apartments could also help with housing and Council can waive section 64 and section 94 levies to encourage this. By changing zoning and waiving developers fees, we can get owners to improve fire hazard issues in these old buildings and invest in CBD housing options. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic is already accelerating the movement of people out of the cities and into the regions. This is Lismore’s time to shine – but we need to be prepared, and we need to have places for these people to live. 

“That means taking a more constructive and imaginative approach to residential development, and providing a greater mix of housing options – including affordable housing, shop-top apartments and medium density.”

Big Rob – Independent candidate

“Fake news, no comment.”

Elly Bird – current councilor and Our Sustainable Future candidate Elly Bird

In recent council meetings, Cr Bird voted for the proposed housing development on the North Lismore Plateau and for the Platypus Park development in Goonellabah.

“The unfortunate challenge is that council has limited powers to influence significant change in housing.

“Current prices are a direct result of state and federal government not investing in enough social housing for many years.

Zoning and partnerships

“But council can play a role in zoning and looking at partnerships with housing providers.

“We can look at supporting development applications that provide greater medium density housing in Lismore - which is what we need – more one and two bedroom places, not more houses.

“There is pressure to buy and build, but to address rising rates of homelessness and security we need to increase social and community housing and variability of housing stock.

How to make it happen?

“We can increase incentives for developers to build medium density housing in the hospital precinct – council can be proactive in that space. We can identify land available and work with owners to see if they will bring it to market to build.

“At the moment we have six apartments there, but we know there is a crisis and it won’t go far.

Environment

“It’s important to protect koala habitat, but Council are now undertaking a review of its growth management strategy and identifying land for release.

“So, decision making should be based on what we identify.

Platypus Park development

“The Platypus Park development is earmarked and identified in Council’s growth management strategy and council should be supportive of it.

Balanced debate

“Housing is a core critical issue for our community. Our community wants development close to services and we need to bring a balance to council debate on these issues.

“Our core platform is a progressive approach to all matters. We want to listen to the recommendations of staff and the community and not make rash decisions based on ideology – this can prevent sensible developments going ahead.

North Lismore Plateau development

“The North Lismore Plateau has been in council’s strategic plan document for years.

“It has always been a critical balancer for our community and we need to develop in that direction - not just toward Ballina - or the health of the CBD will decline.

“We need those who will live and shop in our community to keep it here, not spend it in other LGAs.”