Chat Tuesday: Dr Tony Gilmour & the Draft Housing Strategy

Bernie Hems talks to housing expert Dr Tony Gilmour about housing in the Kiama LGA and specifically about the Draft Housing Strategy Version 2 which is coming before tonight’s Council meeting (18.2.25). Dr Gilmour shared that there are currently 74 people on the social housing waiting list in Kiama, including 9 individuals with very high needs. He noted that the waiting list is at least 10 years long, which may discourage some from registering despite needing housing support.According to Dr Gilmour, Kiama has 67 social housing properties. Between 1964 and 2021, 11 new properties were added to this stock. Social housing makes up 0.6% of residential properties in the Kiama LGA, compared to 4.2% across NSW and 6.4% in Shellharbour.With regard to the Draft Housing Strategy V2 before Council at the moment, there is no mention in the strategy of social housing and, along with no serious assessment of infrastructure works, affordable housing or the short term or long term rental market, Dr Gilmour questions whether or not this is adequate as a long term strategy for housing in the LGA. There is a motion before Council at tonight’s meeting to endorse for public exhibition the Draft Local Housing Strategy V2 and if this proceeds the public will have 28 days to comment on the strategy. KCR: live streaming at kcr.org.au or via the Kiama Community Radio App. Contact us: [email protected]