Media Release by The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP

61 affordable housing units in North Eveleigh

Joint Media Release with:

  • The Hon Brad Hazzard MP, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Premier on Infrastructure NSW

Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness Brendan O’Connor and NSW Minister for Planning and Infrastructure Brad Hazzard today announced $7.2 million for 61 new affordable housing dwellings in North Eveleigh.

The North Eveleigh housing project will be fully supported through the Australian Government’s Housing Affordability Fund, which provides grants to local governments, local government associations, State and Territory governments and the private sector to build the infrastructure needed for housing developments and bring the costs down for homebuyers.

“The Gillard Government believes all Australians deserve a safe and affordable home, so they can find and hold a job, raise a family and keep children in school,” Mr O’Connor said.

“That’s why we have invested an unprecedented $20 billion in measures to help people with home ownership and affordable housing, and to tackle homelessness.

“We are supporting 74 projects right across Australia – 21 in New South Wales – through grants to make housing more affordable by reducing infrastructure and planning related development costs.”

The North Eveleigh project will be part of a larger mixed residential and commercial property development and is located close to the Sydney CBD and Redfern train station.

“North Eveleigh’s proximity to the city and Redfern Station means it has the potential to become one of Sydney’s key inner-city urban renewal precincts,” Mr Hazzard said.

“This Housing Affordability Fund allocation will assist the revival of the area by providing affordable housing for workers close to the city and employment areas in the city’s southern gateway.

“We welcome this funding to provide the road works, utilities, remediation and landscaping needed for this 61-unit housing development.

“Without this Commonwealth funding, we would have had to build the infrastructure for this project using the levies we’ve already collected from developers for affordable housing in the area. “Because of the Commonwealth’s contribution, the Sydney Metropolitan Development Authority’s affordable housing funds can now provide more affordable housing in the Redfern-Waterloo area in future projects.”

Mr O’Connor said addressing housing affordability was a challenge that required the combined effort of all governments, as well as the wider private and community sector.

“The $450 million Housing Affordability Fund is one of many measures we have delivered to reduce housing-related infrastructure and planning costs, and to pass these savings on to new home purchasers,” Mr O’Connor said.

“It is about helping families and individuals to be able to afford to buy a home.”

The Fund complements other government initiatives to improve the community’s access to affordable housing, including the $4.3 billion National Rental Affordability Scheme and the $100 million Building Better Regional Cities program.