Mayor Frank Wilkie says Council is focused on delivering more housing options and is doing its part to address one of the biggest challenges facing our community and Australia.
Council's latest Housing Monitoring report highlights a range of actions already delivered and positive outcomes achieved since the Housing Strategy was adopted in November 2022.
"We acknowledge that many factors are beyond the control of local government, however this report shows that we continue to use every lever available to us to increase housing choice and support more affordable housing outcomes for local people and key workers," Cr Wilkie said.
The report, tabled at Council's August General Committee meeting, shows more than 1,000 additional dwellings have been approved since 2021, placing Noosa on track to meet housing targets of 2,200 additional dwellings by 2031.
Cr Wilkie said last year's amendments to Noosa Plan 2020 and removal of infrastructure costs associated with secondary dwellings support smaller homes and affordable rental accommodation.
"It's too early to assess the success of these amendments, but we are continuing to investigate opportunities to make better use of existing housing stock by encouraging options such as secondary dwellings, room rentals, share housing, rooming accommodation and tiny homes," he said.
'There's been a good uptake of our small dwelling incentives, with 251 additional small dwellings developed," he said.
The report notes that the State Government has made substantial commitments to increasing social housing in Noosa.
"There has been a 25% increase in social housing, with around 103 social and public housing dwellings either approved or progressing across the shire,"
"This is in addition to the approved 25 social housing dwellings at Lake Macdonald Drive in Cooroy, which is being developed through a partnership involving Council, Coast2Bay and support from both State and Federal governments."
Cr Wilkie said Council has proactively encouraged the transfer of short-term accommodation back into permanent housing.
"The introduction of the Local Law in 2022 has seen 363 approved (licensed) properties cancelling their approvals and a further 112 approvals not renewed," he said.
Cr Wilkie said Council will continue to advocate for the removal of existing use rights when properties change ownership for residential properties used for short term accommodation to help boost supply of permanent dwellings.
However, the Mayor said housing delivery continued to be challenged by factors largely outside Council's control.
"Rising land values, escalating construction costs, labour shortages, higher interest rates and cost of living pressures are all affecting the delivery of housing, not just in Noosa, but across Australia," he said.
"Noosa Council will continue to implement its Housing Strategy and support initiatives that increase supply and affordability, but local government alone can't solve the housing crisis,
"Continued investment and support from State and Federal governments, community housing providers and the private sector are essential to achieving long-term outcomes," Mayor Wilkie said.
Mayor Frank Wilkie on Council's latest Housing Monitoring report:
Mayor-Housing-monitoring-report.mp3
