Visiting the Wollongbar pod village over the weekend, after residents were given notice to leave the pods by November, Cr Kiri Dicker said: ‘It’s total waste of taxpayers’ money to tear it down when the shortage of housing is so severe’.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSW RA) have confirmed with The Echo that residents have been asked to move out of the village before 15 November 2024.
‘In the aftermath of the devastating floods in 2022, the NSW RA rapidly established 11 temporary housing villages in the Northern Rivers, with the assistance of councils and other landowners under crisis accommodation planning exemptions,’ explained a spokesperson for NSW RA.
‘State and federal disaster recovery funding has enabled the provision of rent-free accommodation in the villages, along with access to other services and opportunities, to help people get back on their feet. The lease for the site at Wollongbar is due to end in 2025. There are currently 84 households living in the village.’
Cr Dicker said she had visited the Wollongbar pod village last weekend after receiving distressed calls from residents who were telling her they had nowhere to go.
‘I was grateful to be hosted by residents of the Wollongbar pod village last weekend and given a tour of the pods and the facility, which is currently providing accommodation for around 100 people, most of whom are eligible for social housing. I was impressed how clean, safe and well maintained the facility is,’ she said.
‘I met one mum was living with her son who was completing his HSC, several had chronic health conditions, one gentleman had recently undergone heart surgery. Most of the people I spoke to were living in Caravan parks and share houses prior to the floods but have since been priced about of the private rental market. There just isn’t anywhere for these people to go.
‘Clearly tens of millions of dollars have been spent developing this site. It’s total waste of taxpayers money to tear it down when the shortage of housing is so severe. This facility could be turned into transitional accommodation for older single women at risk of homelessness or women fleeing violence.
‘Everyone I spoke to was willing to pay to continue to stay there, in fact they were frustrated that they were not able to pay, which they suspect is because it means they don’t have to be afforded tenancy rights.
‘I think the Wollongbar pod village is one of the few success stories to come from the 2022 Floods. It was the first village to be built follow the disaster and i was proud to be part of a Council that act swiftly and effectively in a crisis.
‘I’d like to see Council continue to lease the land to the Department of Housing for at least another three years and start charging tenants rent until the amount of social housing stock increases.’
Returning land to council
The NSW Reconstruction Authority leases the land for temporary villages from council. With the lease due to end in April 2025, the NSW RA are required to return the land to Council and remove the pods, caravans, communal facilities, and other infrastructure. The village will then be decommissioned between November 2024 and April 2025.
‘The NSW RA is working closely with Northern Rivers Housing, Homes NSW, and local support services to engage residents in transition planning and support them into housing that is appropriate to their needs – be it private rental, aged care, assisted living or social housing,’ said a spokesperson for the NSW RA.
‘A transfer to vacant accommodation in other temporary villages may be an option for eligible households where needed.’
Ballina Council to extend lease?
The NSW NRA has asked the BallinaCouncil for a two month extension to the lease at the Wollongbar site and this decision will come before the next Ballina Shire Council meeting on Thursday, July 25.
‘Ballina Shire Council has not shortened the lease term, it remains to April 2025. Council extended the lease from April 2024 to April 2025,’ a BSC spokesperson told The Echo.
‘The NSW RA has made the decision to ask residents to be relocated from November 2024.
‘The NSW Reconstruction Authority has also sought a two month extension to their lease to June 2025. Council will consider this matter when it is reported to the Ordinary Council meeting in July 2024.’
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