Affordable Housing Strategy
City of Coffs Harbour recognises that a lack of affordable housing in the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area is a significant issue that is likely to have adverse, long term social and economic effects and therefore must be addressed. We recognisesthat access to affordable, secure and appropriate housing is a basic human right.
During 2021, Council resolved to prepare an Affordable Housing Strategy and Policy for the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area. Both of these are currently in development. This page will be updated during the development of the draft Strategy and Policy.
Council has recognised that local government can play a role in the provision of affordable housing and/or social housing. The Affordable Housing Strategy will review case studies of other local government areas who have made effective advancements in affordable housing, and will investigate the opportunities and constraints which shape Council's ability to participate in provision of affordable housing and/or social housing.
Local Government has not traditionally been responsible for delivery of housing. Local councils develop land use strategies and controls that identify what sort of housing can be built and where; the NSW Government develops social housing; private developers develop land and build other housing, which can be diverse housing types; and an emerging trend is that not-for-profit entities are becoming developers of affordable and community housing.
In order to allow the issue of housing affordability to be better understood during the development of the draft Strategy, council has signed on to a
housing monitor which provides an understanding of the changing situation of housing affordability within the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area over time.