There is no doubt that finding affordable accommodation throughout the northern rivers is a challenge and the recent notice given to the 2022 flood impacted residents in the Wollongbar pod village caused significant distress.
For the last two years, accommodation across the 11 villages throughout the Northern Rivers has been provided free of charge, however, the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSW RA) announced yesterday that they would now start charging rent to those living in the pod villages.
‘In line with other housing programs managed by the NSW government and Community Housing Providers, the NSW RA will require that residents contribute to the cost of their housing. This will be done through a licence fee, advocated by the Northern Rivers Community Leaders Forum,’ they stated in a press release.
‘The license fee will be income tested and set at either the average rate for accommodation of a similar type in the area, or at a reduced rate based on an income assessment which will be undertaken by the Community Housing Provider managing each village. The license fee is in line with similar payments required under existing social housing programs. Our focus remains on ensuring residents across the 11 villages are transitioned into safe, long-term housing.’
Making them permanent?
While some of the pod village site leases will come to an end from mid-2025 including the sites at Wollongbar and Kingscliff NSW RA said they are looking at how some of the villages can provide ongoing housing.
‘We’re in discussion with councils and other landowners about the site leases and other arrangements for all villages,’ they stated.
‘We’re also working with Homes NSW to see if some villages can be repurposed to meet ongoing housing needs in the region. This could help to provide more housing options while solutions to increase supply of social and affordable housing are under development.’
Speaking to The Echo Peter Newton, President of the Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association (KRPA) said ‘The Association does not support any moves to convert this temporary village and the pods to a more permanent arrangement. The village was created to temporarily house our flood affected community members. The pods themselves are purposely designed for relocation and certainly should not remain a permanent fixture on land not zoned for this purpose and not subject to appropriate development and planning processes.
‘The Association supports assistance to and the rehousing of our flood affected community members in the Kingscliff temporary accommodation village.
‘While we did not agree with the recently approved extension to the current lease, the NSW RA authority have committed to the rehousing of existing residents and the rehabilitation and return of the site as community green space by the end of the extension period,’ he said.
‘There is a strong expectation in our community that the NSW RA honour their commitment and not subject the village residents and the community again to the mismanagement that unfortunately has been the case since creation of the temporary village.
‘The pods can certainly be relocated in the Shire to suitable locations as needed. An example here is the Tweed Valley Hospital, which has space within its footprint for worker accommodation.’
The NSW RA have stated that, ‘Any longer-term use of our temporary housing sites will be subject to landowner consent, planning approval, community consultation and federal and state government agreement.’
‘Meanwhile, Community Housing Providers, with the support of RA, Homes NSW and local support services, are working closely with village residents on a case-by-case basis to support them into housing that is appropriate to their needs such as private rental, aged care, assisted living or social and affordable housing.’
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