Housing provider's studio apartments project starts

The construction in Woy Woy of modern and affordable studio apartments owned by a community housing provider is well under way.

Pacific Link Housing chief executive officer Mr Keith Gavin said the Chambers Place boarding house would provide affordable housing options for Coast residents at risk of homelessness due to the NSW rental market blowout.

The development, also known as the Woy Woy Studio Apartment project, aims to provide modern and affordable studio apartments for low income earners, the disabled and the elderly, he said.

Mr Gavin said the project was a landmark initiative for the Coast with the whole design tailored to meeting the need for smaller more affordable housing on the Peninsula.

"In the past, housing supply has consistently been shaped by the Australian dream of owning or living in a family home but this is no longer appropriate at a time when the growth of single person households outstrips all others in the general population, and unit living is preferred by many.

"The Woy Woy Studio Apartments project addresses these new realities: that more and more people are in real housing stress; that single people need housing for single people, not family homes; and that there's a very urgent need for new housing options to meet the needs of ordinary people now in danger of displacement," Mr Gavin said.

The development was originally approved for construction by Gosford Council in 2011 and hailed as a "game changer" for the precinct.

One of the people behind the original application, Mr Phil Nossiter, said at the time that the development would help to revive Woy Woy.

"The intention is to offer a nice place to live within the CBD," Mr Nossiter said.

The original development proposed a cafe on the ground floor but this has been altered to commercial space.

The property was purchased by Pacific Link in 2013-14 with the development approval in place.

Council has passed a number of Section 96 applications to amend the original approval to comply with the State Government's affordable housing planning policy and to provide 10 units approved for disabled living.

Pacific Link received State Government funding for the affordable housing element of the project.

Mr Gavin said: "Not only singles, but whole groups of people are now suffering rental stress across the Central Coast where rental rises have effectively reduced the availability of affordable properties to near zero for people on low to moderate incomes.

"Single people on benefits including the disabled and, sadly, a growing number of aged pensioners, are now amongst those most at risk.

"So are large groups of working people on low incomes, including minimum wage earner workers in child and aged-care, retail workers, hospitality workers and people who have only part time work.

"With waiting times for all forms of social housing on the Central Coast now out beyond 10 years, many people, and single people in particular, may never have a home.

"The Woy Woy Studio Apartments project addresses these needs and for the first time in our region, redefines the way affordable housing is delivered," Mr Gavin continued.

The development will provide 30 modern, fully self-contained studio apartments to community members in need of affordable housing and will also contain an additional manager's apartment, office, common areas, a retail or commercial space on the ground level, a landscaped second-floor terrace and off-street parking for 10 vehicles.

Of the apartments, 10 have been designed for use as disability housing.

According to Mr Gavin, Pacific Link will also continue to manage the apartments along with Evolve Housing and a network of service partners to provide additional medical, social and disability support to tenants if and when required.

Mr Gavin also said the on-going management of the project would include a live-in manager on site and a policy of zero tolerance towards any form of anti-social or illegal behaviour with swift evictions and police intervention, if required.

Potential tenants are expected to include working people and people on benefits including minimum or low wage workers, part time workers, aged pensioners, people with disabilities and others of good character in need of assisted housing.

Mr Gavin said as the project was designed to provide high quality, affordable, long term housing no short term stays would be permitted on the site, with all leases being long leases with applicants needing to provide evidence of good character before being considered for tenancy.

Mr Gavin said the term "boarding house" was outdated and that the negative connotations associated with the term did not reflect the quality or community benefit of this project.

"While the development is approved under a planning legislation that continues to use the term boarding house, this development is in fact a brand new studio apartment project of the same quality as any commercial project.

"The term boarding house continues to remain in legislative use only because it hasn't been replaced in an Act first framed many years ago and subsequently amended many times.

"Even the State Government has moved away from the inherent negative connotations contained in this descriptor by adding the words 'new generation' to make 'new generation boarding houses.'

"The continued use of the term is unfortunate in that it fails to recognise the very real improvements in housing design and management that now define the modern era, or the stable and responsible management provided by community housing providers like Pacific Link and Evolve Housing.

"It goes beyond the highest standards of commercial residential developments by including 10 disability suites, seven days a week, 24 hours a day live-in management, and providing for the long-term support of all tenants by both joint venture partners.

"This is a modern, progressive, and important project that redefines standards of quality around the design, construction and long-term management of affordable housing for the future," Mr Gavin said.

The building will stand three storeys high with Roads and Maritime Services assessments indicating that the development would not have any significant impact on traffic management in the area with most movement to and from the sight predicted to be pedestrian traffic.

"The project has received the positive support of all levels of government and is recognised as a leadership model for the future provision of affordable housing working to address the needs of those in rental stress in urban centres.

"It's a very important project that recognises the rapid growth of single person households and the need to provide appropriate and affordable housing for this group.

"In doing so, it brings the provision of affordable housing into line with existing trends in private sector supply.

"It also illustrates the essential role now played by regional not-for-profits in the long-term provision and ongoing management of future community housing projects for the greater public good," Mr Gavin added.

Construction at the site has begun with the building's concrete structure fixed and awaiting architectural development.

The development is being constructed by local builders and contractors and is expected to be completed by mid-2017.

Media statement and Interview, 21 Nov 2016

Keith Gavin, Pacific Link Housing Gosford

Reporter: Dilon Luke