Joint media release
7 March 2022
A coalition of peak bodies is urging the NSW Government to invest in an immediate housing recovery package to support communities affected by the NSW flood emergency.
NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA NSW), Aboriginal Community Housing Industry Association NSW (ACHIA NSW) and Homelessness NSW are calling for:
Establish immediate temporary housing options for people on low incomes,
Prioritise the rebuilding of existing social housing affected by the floods,
Invest in additional social and affordable housing to address the critical shortage of housing in the flood impacted areas, and
Make recovery grants immediately available to local community housing, Aboriginal and homelessness services to assist people made homeless as a result of the floods.
The peaks have released a joint statement detailing the immediate steps needed to address the housing and homelessness crisis which will be significantly exacerbated by widespread flooding events. That statement can be found below this media release.
The organisations said the scale of the disaster in northern NSW deserved an urgent and proportionate response.
“We are seeing devastation throughout northern NSW, and we need an immediate response to support those now without a roof over their head,” NCOSS CEO Joanna Quilty said.
“We welcome the Premier’s acknowledgment that housing will be a priority in the recovery effort. We look forward to working with him to urgently support communities in need, including those who were already experiencing disadvantage and who can be hardest hit when disaster strikes.”
The North Coast of NSW was already at the forefront of the housing crisis – with 250 people on the priority housing waiting list at June 2021 and a private rental market vacancy rate of 0.5%.
The 2021 Tweed, Byron Bay and Lismore homelessness street counts identified over 300 people sleeping rough.
“Before the floods of recent days, North Coast families were already being forced to live in tents, cars, and other makeshift arrangements because they couldn’t afford a home,” Homelessness NSW CEO, Katherine McKernan said.
“The devastating floods in regional areas like the NSW North Coast have turned a difficult housing market into an impossible one. A massive and speedy response is required to help these communities,” CHIA NSW CEO, Mark Degotardi said.
“Community housing providers are ready to support the NSW Government and industry partners in getting communities struck by flooding on the road to recovery, starting with making sure people have a safe and secure roof over their head,” Mr. Degotardi said.
NSW had a housing and homelessness crisis before the floods with 50,000 applicants on the social housing waiting list and a private rental market that is unaffordable, particularly in regional NSW.
More than 30% of all clients of homelessness services are Aboriginal. Homelessness services are supporting 25% more clients than funded for and are turning away more clients than they can accommodate due to high demand that has been exacerbated by COVID-19.
“For many Aboriginal communities, the problems of overcrowding in substandard housing and the detrimental impacts of this on health and well-being have been longstanding. The situation will now be so much worse – this catastrophe will widen the gap in life outcomes even further,” ACHIA NSW CEO, Lisa Sampson said.
RELEASE ENDS
Joint statement
7 March 2022
The NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), the Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA NSW), NSW Aboriginal Community Housing Industry Association (ACHIA NSW) and Homelessness NSW call on the NSW Government to fund a significant and immediate housing recovery package to address both the short and long-term impact of floods across NSW.
NCOSS, CHIA NSW, Homelessness NSW and ACHIA NSW acknowledge the NSW Premier’s statement that this will be priority and call on the NSW Government to provide funding and coordination across NSW to:
Establish immediate temporary housing options for people on low incomes,
Prioritise the rebuilding of existing social housing affected by the floods,
Invest in additional social and affordable housing to address the critical shortage of housing in the flood impacted areas, and
Make recovery grants immediately available to local community housing, Aboriginal and homelessness services to assist people made homeless as a result of the floods.
Given the high number of Aboriginal families affected by the floods, housing for Aboriginal communities needs to be a priority.
NSW had a housing and homelessness crisis before the floods with 50,000 applicants on the social housing waiting list and a private rental market that is unaffordable, particularly in regional NSW. More than 30% of all clients of homelessness services are Aboriginal. Homelessness services are supporting 25% more clients than funded for and are turning away more clients than they can accommodate due to high demand that has been exacerbated by COVID-19.
North Coast NSW was already at the forefront of this crisis – with 250 people on the priority housing waiting list at June 2021 and a private rental market vacancy rate of 0.5%. The 2021 Tweed, Byron Bay and Lismore homelessness street counts identified over 300 people sleeping rough. Before the devastating floods of recent days, North Coast families were already being forced to live in tents, cars and other makeshift arrangements because there was simply nowhere affordable or available for them to live.
Many households are still affected by previous floods and bushfires in the region, living in overcrowded or substandard conditions with significant health, safety and well-being impacts. This includes Aboriginal families and communities who were already disproportionately impacted by disadvantage.
As NSW recovers from these latest catastrophic floods, the provision of housing for all, but particularly for people on low incomes must be a priority. Community housing and homelessness services in the North Coast area are already very concerned about the future for their tenants and clients, and their ability to provide adequate shelter and support, as the water recedes and the extent of the devastation is apparent. Action now can help avert the longer-term trauma of the floods.
The scale of the floods and their disproportionate impact on low-income people mean NSW is in danger of seeing a new generation of people forced into homelessness, living rough or in overcrowded and unfit dwellings.
The Government’s response must be significant and immediate. The families of the North Coast cannot wait.
We must not allow a repeat of the increased and extended homelessness that was created on the South Coast in the aftermath of the bushfires. We need a swift, coordinated and resourced housing response that supports the flood affected communities to recover and allow them to get on with their lives.
STATEMENT ENDS