Federal funding a welcome boost to Port Stephen’s housing supply
Port Stephens Examiner
By Laura Rumbel
May 22 2024 – 5.34pm
Federal funding to go towards new homes comes as a welcome boost for Port Stephens and is an essential part of addressing the additional housing supply demand.
The federal government will support the construction of new homes by injecting the much needed funding into the housing sector which will include infrastructure such as roads and services.
Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson said it is essential to try and support developments both social and commercial.
“The Paterson electorate is still one of the fastest growing residential areas in NSW and the federal government is supporting the construction of more homes for home buyers and renters,” she said.
“The demand for housing in our area is high due to an increase in new families making Paterson their home.”
For Port Stephens deputy mayor Leah Anderson, she said the funding boost comes at a good time for Port Stephens, with council only recently releasing the Port Stephens local housing strategy.
“We’ve basically gone to the community and said for us to be able to accommodate an expected population increase of 20,000 people over the next 20 years, we’ve got to be able to get more housing in Port Stephens,” she said.
“We’ve identified and work-shopped with the councillors where we felt would be best for infill development and also green-fill development.”
Councillors are currently waiting for the local housing strategy to come back to council so they can get the feedback from the community and Cr Anderson said the federal funding will help council with infrastructure requirements for Port Stephens.
“The funding boost towards housing is imperative and as a local government we can only do so much and we certainly don’t have the budget to be able to supply actual housing itself,” she said.
Council can identify lands that can be developed for housing but Cr Anderson said they certainly don’t have the means of being able to financially afford to be able to provide physical houses on the ground.
“Any boost of funding from federal or state government to support us getting that housing is what we need,” she said.
In addition to transport and infrastructure being a top priority for Port Stephens, Cr Anderson said council is also focusing on affordable housing.
“We’ve got areas identified especially around Raymond Terrace where we could definitely produce or rezone land so that we could have more affordable housing,” she said.
“We need support from state and federal government when it comes to being able to focus on how we can actually deliver that.”
Cr Anderson who is the chairperson of the Homelessness Stakeholder Advocacy Group said the group’s next meeting will be on Friday, May 31.
“Housing Minister Rose Jackson will be dialling in for about an hour and housing will be at the top of our list for discussions,” she said.
Representatives from Hume Housing, Port Stephens Family and Neighbourhood, Kate Washington, Meryl Swanson, the Salvation Army and Hope Cottage will also be in attendance at the meeting.
