As Homelessness Week reminds us of the housing shortage, Member for Ballina, Tamara Smith MP, says she is thrilled with the $899,000 Ballina Shire Council will receive to remediate contaminated land earmarked for future housing.
There is also a $13.9 million investment to convert 58 pods in Brunswick Heads into key worker housing.
Crisis glaringly evident
Ms Smith said the housing crisis is glaringly evident in the Ballina electorate. ‘The 2020 pandemic saw an influx of people moving to the area. The 2022 floods saw an increase in homelessness. It seems a drop in the bucket but affordable, social and worker housing is so desperately needed.
‘I am thrilled that 58 pods will be converted to key worker housing. This is needed, and frankly, it is a relief to see infrastructure that has already cost taxpayers so much continue to be utilised for the good of our communities.
‘The clean-up of 3.9 hectares of land that is currently contaminated is not only an environmental imperative, but also unlocks potential housing in a shire hard-pressed to accommodate our current population. It’s a big win for our region.’
Flood resilient housing
Ms Smith said she hopes that the land in Ballina will lead to appropriately flood resilient housing that contains a mix of affordable, social and worker housing to support the needs of our community.
‘The next two years will see the delivery of 48 public and community homes in Ballina.
‘This is another step to meeting the housing demands we have here. Key to a successful delivery will be to ensure that our infrastructure is able to support this new housing, especially in an area so prone to climate related disasters.’
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