Byron Shire Council could create a designated space for people sleeping in their cars in a bid to provide safety and some basic amenities for this part of the Shire’s growing homeless community.
The option was raised by Greens Mayor, Sarah Ndiaye, at last week’s meeting, where councillors voted in favour of exploring options for emergency housing accommodation on Council-owned land.
Under the plan, staff will prepare a report setting out possible sites for emergency housing accommodation, along with infrastructure requirements and estimated costs.
The report would also set out grant funding opportunities for the project, and potential management models, including partnership opportunities with local service providers.
Speaking in relation to the motion, Cr Ndiaye said the project might include creating a safe carpark so that those sleeping in their cars could do so with a greater degree of safety and access to basic amenities.
‘It can be as simple as having a place where people can park at night and there’s security lights and a toilet and some services and everyone’s got to be out by 8am,’ Cr Ndiaye said.
The meeting heard that a similar idea was currently being trialled in Newcastle through the ‘Car 2 Home’ project.
Car 2 Home model
Car 2 Home involves a designated underground car park space that provides a safe place to park and sleep, and offers access to facilities like bathrooms, kitchens, and a laundry.
Support workers are also available to connect clients with other services.
‘The need is critical and our own Council carpark has essentially come to be one of these spaces by itself anyway,’ Cr Ndiaye said.
Previous Council plans went nowhere
Cr Ndiaye acknowledged that this was not the first time Council had explored ways to use its land for emergency accommodation.
‘This issue has a long history,’ she said.
‘It went nowhere because every time it came up people said “yes, it’s a great idea, we just don’t want it anywhere near our house”.
‘Since then, the situation has worsened, I would say quadrupled. It’s a nightmare. We’re all working really hard to get the delivery of social housing, public housing, key worker housing and so on.
‘But in the meantime, we are faced with a crisis that is clearly visible if you walk around this building or pretty much anywhere else in the Shire.’
In response to a question from Labor councillor Janet Swain, Council’s Director of Sustainable Environment and Economy said Council had explored such options in the past.
‘There’s been numerous processes Council has done, both before me and during my time here, to look at land that we own, other lands through different processes… basically looking at what land in the right location has the right services and with the right zoning,’ Ms Burt said.
‘A lot of work has been done, so we’re just pulling it all together and that will become part of a workshop.’
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