Byron deputy mayor Michael Lyon has says shires should declare ‘crisis situation’

‘We can present a united front to state and federal governments who need to do more to protect and provide for our communities.’

A Byron Shire councillor is calling on the council to declare a housing crisis. - Picture: Richard Walker

Talk of the housing crisis will be back on the agenda before Byron Shire Council on Thursday.

Deputy mayor Michael Lyon has lodged a notice of motion calling for the council to declare that the shire is "experiencing a crisis situation with respect to housing availability and affordability".

Cr Lyon has also called upon other councils "experiencing similar challenges" to "make the same declaration".

In the motion, he has asked for "temporary vanpacker accommodation" to be investigated to help local residents "currently forced to camp in their cars due to the lack of availability of other forms of accommodation" and for options for "safe and secure emergency accommodation for women in local tourist and caravan parks" to be considered.

"We have known for some time that affordability and availability of housing has been decreasing due to a range of factors," Cr Lyon said in his notice of motion.

"What has changed recently is the marked acceleration caused by the surge of buying of properties from out-of-towners.

"Local real estate agents have said that it has been a record year for sales and that the increase in rents has been unprecedented."

He said the issue was "very pronounced" in the Byron Shire but not absent from other regional areas.

"By declaring a crisis and asking other councils to do the same we can present a united front to state and federal governments who need to do more to protect and provide for our communities," he said.

The council's director of sustainable environment and economy Shannon Burt said, in comments attached to the motion, two reports which "expressly highlighted" the issues facing the Byron Shire "when it comes to finding a safe and affordable place to call home" went before the council's planning meeting this month.

"This notice of motion is complementary to current resolutions of council," Ms Burt said.

"It seeks to further our attempts in a practical sense to connect our vulnerable and at risk community members with a safe place to live.

"The points of the resolution can be responded to by staff in a short time frame."

Originally published as Byron deputy mayor Michael Lyon has says shires should declare ‘crisis situation’