LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin’s strategic advocacy has delivered 12 extra social housing units for the city as part of a package of developments being managed by North Coast Community Housing (NCCH).
Ms Saffin said she was delighted that her idea of transferring Laurel Lodge – former Lismore Base Hospital accommodation – to the Department of Communities and Justice, had been taken up by the NSW Government.
“I saw this opportunity straight away when the 12-unit complex became surplus to NSW Health’s needs and immediately began lobbying the relevant Ministers – Brad Hazzard (Health), Melinda Pavey (Property & Housing) and Gareth Ward (then Families & Communities),” Ms Saffin said.
“I was pleased to see my colleague Ben Franklin MLC supporting what I set in train months ago. Now that it has come to fruition, NCCH has spent almost $700,000 on refurbishing the units and they will be tenanted before Christmas.”
Ms Saffin said she had worked closely with NCCH CEO John McKenna and other housing providers to lobby State and Federal governments to invest more funding in new affordable and social housing developments across the region.
“The message I have been repeating is that the more people we can house, the better for our society, and the better for our local and regional economies,” Ms Saffin said.
Ms Saffin also commended NCCH on its 30-unit development in McKenzie Street, Lismore, with the organisation contributing $6.5 million and securing $2 million under the NSW Government’s Community Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF).
The 20 x 2-bedroom units and 10 x 1-bedroom units will be a mixed tenure development, including homes for purchase, together with affordable and social housing.
Constructed is expected to start in March 2022.
HOUSING WIN: Inspecting Unit 1 of Laurel Lodge are, from left, Lismore Mayor Cr Vanessa Ekins, North Coast Community Housing Chair Robyn Hordern, Ben Franklin MLC, State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin and NCCH CEO John McKenna.
Monday, 29 November 2021.
