Council endorses housing plan

The City of Mount Gambier endorsed the Local Affordable Housing Plan at its July 2024 council meeting, representing a step forward in collaborative efforts that seek to address the demand for affordable housing for the Mount Gambier community.

Like many communities, Mount Gambier is currently facing challenges with the demand for affordable housing. Defined as accommodation where a low or moderate income household pays no more than 30% of their annual income to rent or buy, affordable housing is a focal point for action across all levels of government.

Manager Economy, Strategy and Engagement Biddie Shearing said council had embarked on a series of initiatives to better understand the housing landscape and Mount Gambier’s needs in a broader ecosystem of housing, leading to the development a Local Affordable Housing Plan.

To support the development of this plan, council connected a collective group of stakeholders within our community from community services, real estate, developers and practitioners to engage in constructive dialogue, share insights and develop holistic approaches to improve affordable housing issues in our community.

“We recognise that affordable housing is not a standalone solution but rather a piece of the puzzle in addressing housing accessibility and ensuring everyone can access safe and affordable housing options,” Ms Shearing said.

Highlighting the insights, issues, opportunities and constraints of the local affordable housing shortfall currently, the plan outlines how City of Mount Gambier aims to combine resources, expertise and support to address housing affordability challenges and create more inclusive communities by fostering community, government and commercial partnerships.

Mayor Lynette Martin said improving affordable housing within the community was not something one entity could achieve alone.

“It will require collaboration across multiple sectors to identify and deliver sustainable solutions for our community,” she said.

Regional Australia Institute (RAI) acting CEO Amanda Barwick commended the City of Mount Gambier on adopting its Local Affordable Housing Plan.

“Housing remains one of the biggest hurdles affecting communities across regional Australia, but finding solutions requires a localised approach,” Ms Barwick said.

“This new plan not only recognises that affordable housing is an important component in a community’s accommodation stock, it also highlights the need for all levels of government to work with business, service providers and the wider community to address this critically important issue.

“The City of Mount Gambier has pledged to support the RAI’s Regionalisation Ambition, a 10-year, 20-goal framework that aims to increase regional Australia’s prosperity. This plan helps to address the goal of increasing rental vacancies in regional areas to above 3 per cent and ensuring building approvals keep pace with population growth

“We thank the community for being a part of a growing coalition working towards the same aspiration, to better the lives of regional Australians.”

A central point of monitoring and reviewing the City of Mount Gambier Local Affordable Housing Plan involves ongoing discussions and deliberations with the established Mount Gambier Housing Alliance.

“This centralised group serves as a core for engaging stakeholders, sharing insights, and collectively addressing emerging challenges,” Ms Shearing said. “Regular reviews conducted as part of the group provide opportunities to assess progress, identify areas for improvement, and integrate current knowledge and observations into future iterations of the plan.

“By empowering the community to lead the conversation surrounding housing needs, the plan can be more responsive and reflective of local priorities and a collaborative approach ensures that the Affordable Housing Plan remains dynamic, relevant, and effective in meeting the diverse housing needs of Mount Gambier residents.”