Renewed calls for action with at least 1400 people in ‘insecure housing’ in the Byron Shire and surrounds

A fresh idea for tackling the issue has been raised amid the revelation of the shocking statistic on the instability of housing for local residents on the Northern Rivers.

Women's Village Collective founder Sama Balson, who is a Byron Shire Council candidate for the September 4, 2021 election. Picture: Liana Boss

It’s well known housing on the Northern Rivers is more inaccessible and tentative than ever for many residents.

And a shocking statistic was raised when the matter came before Byron Shire Council once again on Thursday.

Women’s Village Collective founder Sama Balson, who is running for a spot on council, explained during public access her group had amassed more than 3200 members, mostly from the Byron Shire, since it launched last August.

She said of those, 1300 to 1400 of their members were “in insecure housing right now”.

This excluded those currently experiencing homelessness.

Councillor Jeannette Martin, Women's Village Collective founder Sama Balson, mayor Michael Lyon and former Councillor Peter Westheimer. The group are running on a ticket together. Picture: Liana Boss

“I mean (people) in landlord situations where they might be currently in danger or (facing) coercive control,” she said.

For many of them, it was a matter of being handed “no cause evictions” and having nowhere else to rent.

“We’ve got people currently housed that are very tentatively housed,” she said.

“We just need to get something happening now.

“Essentially what we need to do moving forward is create a plan of action.”

She said the major demographics of concern were older, isolated women and single-income parents.

“We have people who are sleeping in cars,” she said.

“We have people living in dangerous situations.

“Every single night counts, every single night we have people sleeping in their cars.”

She said one avenue for answers could be to affordable housing at the council-owned Lot 22 in Mullumbimby on the table.

Byron Shire's deputy mayor, Sarah Ndiaye. Picture: Liana Boss

Councillors voted unanimously to continue to push for ways to tackle the housing crisis.

This will include exploring the prospect of a public call-out to land owners “to consider putting their vacant properties up for rent during the quieter winter months or transfer it to long term (housing)”.

Deputy mayor Sarah Ndiaye said the council “have to keep trying” even when their visions are stonewalled.

“In Byron, the sun hits us first and so do a lot of social issues,” she said.

Councillor Paul Spooner said it was important the council did not “try to reinvent the wheel” and stressed the importance of distinguishing between permanent social and affordable housing and service-supported emergency housing.