Homeowners fear development will drive prices down

HOW would you feel if your neighbour decided to turn their property into a boarding house or affordable housing development?

Residents took their concerns to last week’s council meeting

HOW would you feel if your neighbour decided to turn their property into a boarding house or affordable housing development?

For many residents in the inner west, it conjures images of hits to their property prices, changes to the ambience of their streets, and “housos” moving in next door.

Those fears have come to light in recent weeks, with applications for affordable developments in Burwood, Concord and Strathfield generating dozens of complaints from local residents.

Several unhappy residents took their concerns to last week’s Strathfield Council meeting objecting to a housing development on Liverpool Rd containing five affordable units.

“We have houses worth $1 million, $2 million in the area,” one resident said.

“What will it mean for our property prices?”

Another resident pointed out “there were already two social housing units on our block” and the community was “doing its fair share”.

“It should go somewhere else,” the resident told councillors.

Strathfield Council’s acting general manager Henry Wong attempted to allay concerns, saying there was a difference between affordable rental and social housing.

“Affordable housing is designed to ensure key workers such as police officers and nurses are in a position to live near their places of work,” Mr Wong said.

“It’s for people who may not be able to afford the full market rent.”

Mr Wong said key workers paid around 30 per cent less market rent under the affordable housing policy.

Residents also objected to the State Government policy (SEPP) that give developers strings of concessions if afforable housing is included.

The SEPP overrides local planning controls, such as height restrictions, setbacks, and car parking spaces, as long as a proportion of dwellings are offered at sub-market rents.

Research by the University of NSW found community objections to affordable housing were common and often linked to the “physical form” of buildings allowed under the SEPP.

The research recommended education campaigns to address misconceptions, along with new names attached to boarding houses.

In Burwood, a proposed 23 room boarding home attracted 19 submissions from residents, while in Concord, a 27 room boarding home on Majors Bay Rd was met with 39 objections.

Both developments were approved at council meetings this month.