Inner West Community Supports Action on Housing Crisis

Wednesday 23 October 2024

Media release

Inner West Councillor, Jess D’Arienzo

Inner West Council has received strong support from local residents to proceed with a range of reforms to address the housing supply and affordability crisis.

Over 1200 residents made submissions to the Council’s new planning policy with a large majority of respondents in support of measures such as increasing the number of homes around transport hubs, increased shop top housing on main streets and new public housing throughout the area.

Building on this community support the Council last night resolved to accelerate the pace of new housing supply and to complete a new local planning controls to submit to the NSW Government. The controls rezone land to accommodate the 7800 new dwellings target the Government has mandated for the Inner West.

The Council has further resolved to investigate how recommendations from the NSW Productivity and Equality Commission’s report can be implemented in the Inner West to make the development assessment system more efficient and effective. This won’t include any consideration of reducing design requirements for solar access.

• 77% of residents support the NSW Government’s Policy of 30% of housing on government owned land to be maintained as public housing in perpetuity
• 75% support incentives for conversion of land owned by religious and faith-based organisations to social and affordable housing
• 72% support for setting a target of 1000 new public housing dwellings being delivered on government and Council owned land
• Overwhelming support for upzoning precincts around the following train stations:
  - Ashfield (75%)
  - Marrickville (71%)
  - Dulwich Hill (66%)
  - Croydon (64%)

Inner West Councillor Jess D’Arienzo said that Inner West Council is determined to work with our community to address the housing crisis.

“We are pulling out all the stops to deliver affordable, sustainable, high-quality housing with good amenity.

“We don’t want another generation missing out on owning their own home.

“We want heads on beds and keys in doors. That’s the goal, delivering more housing that is well-designed and well-located.

“That means quality development that maintains amenity while creating more affordable housing here in the Inner West.” Councillor D’Arienzo said.

For media enquiries please contact Jonny Browne, Jonny.Browne@innerwest.nsw.gov.au