Let’s start with some important definitions.
WHAT IS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY VS AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
On the Australian Government’s parliamentary website it states:
“The term ‘housing affordability’ usually refers to the relationship between expenditure on housing (prices, mortgage payments or rents) and household incomes.
“The concept of housing affordability is different to the concept of ‘affordable housing’, which refers to low-income or social housing.”
It is important to differentiate these two issues because the problems differ and so do the appropriate solutions.
THE NEW NOOSA PLAN
After about 36 in-house councillor workshops between 2016 and 2019 – where councillors and staff fought it out – the new Noosa Plan was finalised and sent off for the last State interest review.
It came back with conditions requiring further amendments and then was ultimately approved after the March 2020 elections by the new Council.
I was satisfied that a number of initiatives to foster housing affordability were included and are now in the Noosa planning scheme (see below).
THE NOOSA PLAN – WHAT’S OUT?
I was disappointed that the first State interest review knocked back the letting out of granny flats (65 sqm self-contained secondary dwellings with kitchens and laundries), except to extended family/household members.
Whereas I had strongly advocated in favour of letting out such affordable mini homes, the mayor was against. His media release made front page news and perhaps also reached the ears of the State government.
I was also disappointed that the second State interest review did not allow a portion of units (10%) to be relegated for social housing (affordable housing) in the new high density residential zones at Noosa Junction and the Noosa Business Centre (adjacent to Noosa Civic).
Thirdly I was taken aback when councillors Brian Stockwell and Frank Wilkie moved a surprise amendment to make short term letting ‘impact assessable’ and ‘inconsistent use’ in low density residential housing zones. I voted against this reduction of flexibility, but was outnumbered.
Councillors Stockwell, Wilkie and Wellington argued that they were doing this for the sake of housing affordability, but my view continues to be that stopping short term letting of expensive houses near the tourist precincts does not free those houses up for affordable living.
Low income households and Noosa’s key workers in hospitality, retail, health, aged care and the like can’t afford to rent or buy these houses anyway.
Meanwhile, Noosa’s tourism dependent economy suffers due to the negative ripple effect on so many businesses that support such short term letting, including restaurants, shops, cleaners, gardeners and of course agencies.
The new Noosa Plan makes it almost impossible to obtain approval for short term letting of most houses in urban localities, except for short bursts (like for holiday periods) or one or two rooms that are home hosted (owners live in). An exception is where an owner can prove ‘existing use rights’ because the house has consistently been used for short term letting.
THE NOOSA PLAN – WHAT’S IN?
Here’s the list as confirmed (back then) by council staff:
- Additional residential units in and adjoining both the Noosa Business Centre [Noosa Civic] and Noosa Junction
- A new residential precinct in the Noosa Civic area – a mix of housing types including small dwellings
- Provisions that seek to incentivise construction of a greater number of smaller dwellings. So instead of controlling the number of units and the number of bedrooms, the new planning scheme nominates a building envelope and encourages more units in this space. The plan also offers bonuses (in terms of site cover, plot ratio, car parking, landscaping) if the development is for small dwellings no more than 100 sqm.
- To further encourage affordable housing, new detached houses will not be allowed to be built in medium density and high density residential zones
- All existing relocatable home parks have been protected, including Cooroy Village, and Bougainvillea Gardens and Noosa Glades in Tewantin.
CLARE STEWART’S MAYORAL MINUTE – AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Now Mayor Clare Stewart is leading an initiative to address the issue of affordable housing, with the Council at its December Ordinary Meeting agreeing to:
“A. Request the CEO to review existing Noosa Council land assets to determine if any such land would be appropriate for the development of social housing;
B. Request the CEO to incorporate consideration of priority sector employee housing within the upcoming review of the Local Economic Plan;
C. Request the CEO to bring forward a report to a future Council meeting identifying potential amendments to the planning scheme to accelerate the provision of suitable community housing;
D. Council continue to negotiate with State and Local community housing providers in the development of an economically efficient model to achieve a mix of public, social and private affordable accommodation within community housing developments; and
E. Council continue to work closely with State Member Sandy Bolton and her Housing Action Group.”
I look forward to seeing community input and the implementation of some real solutions. Not just a plan.
