Families, people in need and local workers in Cooma are set for more housing options with up to 140 housing lots to be developed between the Monaro Highway and Polo Flat Road, thanks to the NSW Government.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the Government land will be repurposed with the capacity to deliver more than 200 homes.
"The land unlocked in Cooma has the potential to deliver hundreds of dwellings allowing families to enter the housing market, ease local housing stress, keep tradies on the tools on Snowy 2.0, and create new jobs when construction begins on these homes," Mr Toole said.
"The blocks will be a mixture of single dwellings, duplexes, social and affordable housing as well as key worker housing and will serve as a blueprint to unlock more government-owned land across regional NSW to ease housing stress."
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the NSW Government was committed to delivering more housing options right across the spectrum in regional NSW, easing pressure on local communities through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
"Crown Lands and Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) have signed a historic MOU that will allow us to identify Crown land that could be better utilised to deliver housing where it is needed most in regional areas," Mr Roberts said.
"Housing availability can often be a challenge in regional communities and unlocking this land is the first of many instances where we will ease the pressure on regional communities to get a roof over their head at an affordable price."
Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson said the MOU was a crucial first step in easing local housing shortages and providing more employment opportunities for the community.
"Housing supply and affordability is front of mind for people all across the state and this historic agreement is the first of its kind demonstrating that partnership is crucial in tackling NSW housing pressures," Mr Anderson said.
"In the last 12 months the need for priority housing in Cooma has increased six-fold and rents across all housing types have increased by about 25 percent."
NSW Aboriginal Land Council Chairman Danny Chapman said Cooma was an example of what can be achieved when the Aboriginal community and Government work together, with an agreement struck to settle land claims and deliver housing.
"Cooma is just the latest example of what can be achieved when the Aboriginal community and Government work in partnership to respond to issues affecting regional NSW, such as the current need to increase housing supply in Cooma," Mr Chapman said.
Merrimans Local Aboriginal Land Council CEO Dianne McVeity said this project will have widespread benefits for the community.
"Our community is pleased to support the delivery of so many benefits for Cooma including the ongoing economic development of the Aboriginal community in our region," Ms McVeity said.
Snowy Monaro Regional Council Mayor Cr Narelle Davis said the council is excited by the announcement of unlocked land for development in Cooma.
"Council has been advocating for additional social and affordable housing since the commencement of the Snowy 2.0 project, and our staff have worked with the NSW Government to deliver these much needed homes for our town," Cr Davis said.
Cooma is the first community to benefit from a new state-wide Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between LAHC and Crown Lands that brings to life the NSW Government's Housing 2041 and Crown land 2031 strategies to deliver better housing options in NSW.
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
L - R Aboriginal Land Council Chair Danny Chapman, Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson, Deputy Premier Paul Toole and Merrimans LALC CEO Dianne McVeity
