Affordable housing policy of Ryde Council promises results

RYDE Council wants 750 affordable homes provided over 15 years to ensure key workers such as nurses and police can live locally.

A couple outside a home for rent. Picture: Thinkstock

RYDE Council wants 750 affordable homes provided over 15 years to ensure key workers such as nurses and police can live locally.

The council has published an affordable housing policy which targets five per cent of new homes built in that period being run by community housing providers. This type of affordable housing is available to people who meet housing providers’ conditions such as income. Residents usually rent rather than buy.

Ryde would provide 250 affordable homes, either by developing council land or through providing incentives to developers.

It will also require that two per cent of units in large residential developments be affordable housing.

A couple outside their house. Picture: Thinkstock

It will advocate for the state government, which has most control over housing, to provide the remaining 500.

Mayor Jerome Laxale said housing affordability in Ryde was at crisis point.

More than 39 per cent of renting households in the local government area (5,050 households) were in housing stress in 2011, according to the policy.

Housing stress is defined as paying more than 30 per cent of income on housing.

Mr Laxale said having a stable and affordable place to live was fundamental to contributing to society.

The council will prepare a planning proposal to amend its local environmental plan to include the affordable housing provisions.

It will also invite the two councils it is proposed to merge with, Hunters Hill and Lane Cove, to discuss adopting the policy in those areas.

The council exhibited the draft policy last year for public comment. This followed Ryde’s housing affordability summit in 2014.

A NSW Department of Planning spokesman said it was committed to housing diversity and would be pleased to meet the council to discuss its policy.