MOTION: It is moved that with immediate effect that the City of Launceston appoint an independent Commissioner for Housing with Delegated Authority to:
- Seek expressions of interest from candidates for the positions of independent Commissioners and appoint them to the Housing Commission/Authority; and
- Establish a Strategic Plan in a 21st C context in collaboration with the City of Launceston’s Councillors and the Housing Commissioners; and
- Appoint Commissioners with domain knowledge in building design, engineering, placemaking, social science, appropriate construction technology, fiscal management, and research; and
- Market housing opportunities in the municipality in collaboration with adjoining jurisdictions.
RATIONALE: Over recent years Council has appointed a ‘Homelessness Advisory Committee’ with a membership drawn from within Council and the charities attempting to service those suffering housing stress. The outcome has been a brochure for those suffering housing stress to seek assistance from the city’s charities and to continue to move people on who are sleeping rough as the number of the visibly homeless people in the city grows significantly, month by month year by year.
More to the point, with every Development Application Council considers as a Planning Authority, Councillors have front of mind the protection of property developers’ ‘investments in property’ rather than the provision of housing fit-for-purpose for ‘home making’ – affordable housing and homemaking places.
Typically, this is the kind of housing that those who cannot afford to pay the rent on. It is approved while alternatives like empty shell apartments, eco-villages, community housing are highly unlikely to get past the initial planning phase. Those who might initiate such developments are ever likely to attract protests from property owners who imagine that their investments are at risk for whatever reason. Likewise such proposals are unlikely to win city planners’ unequivocal support.
Currently there is inbuilt injustice in the status quo. As Gandhi has said “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” As elected representatives it is incumbent upon us to be the change agents, we perceive there being a need for. Given our individual and collective limitations and time constraints it is incumbent on us to put in place a mechanism of governance able to fulfill the role we have demonstrated that have been unable to fill adequately.
FUNDING : Given the fundamental importance of the housing issue to each-and-every citizen in Launceston it is incumbent upon their elected representatives to review the city’s operational budget to effect change.
A safe and secure ‘home place’ is a human right.
Increasingly viewed as a commodity, housing is nonetheless a most importantly a human right. Under international law, to be adequately housed means having secure tenure—not having to worry about being evicted or having your home or lands taken away. It means living somewhere that is in keeping with your culture, and having access to appropriate services, schools, and employment. On the evidence, clearly the City of Launceston is failing its constituency.
Therefore, it may well be the case that:
- Savings will need to be made with the city’s operational budget; and
- Th city’s management’s structure may well need to be reviewed; and
- Levies may well need to be imposed where there is equitability in doing so; and
- Some of the city’s underperforming assets and operations may need to be rationalised; and
- Additional income opportunities will need to be identified and acted upon.
TIME FRAME: Given that the need is right now and present:
- Eight weeks may be required to recruit the first Commissioner and determine their conditions of appointment:
- An additional six weeks may be required to identify and appoint the additional Commissioners; and
- An additional six weeks may well be needed for the Commission to finalise it Strategic plan and report to Council.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES : Given the relative urgency in alleviating the level housing stress in the jurisdiction:
- Identify land that might well be rezoned to enable housing to be provided on; and
- Identify opportunities for developers of various kinds to initiate appropriate developments; and
- Initiate housing projects within the jurisdiction that are able to attract developers and/or investors; and
- Commissioning architects and building designers to present alternative housing designs to the current status quo housing being built; and
- Put in place strategies that enables an increased occupancies within the jurisdiction’s building stock.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS: Within six weeks of the appointment of the first Commissioner she/he will present Council with their projected KPIs with short and long term milestones.
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