By Michael Burt
Key concerns about the Waterfall Way Community Land Trust (WWCLT), financing and the proposed affordable housing project at lot 1 Ferry St in Urunga will be addressed at two upcoming public meetings.
The Waterfall Way CLT is holding the meetings as part of the Bellingen Shire Council’s community consultation phase on the proposed sale of the land to the Trust for $1.
Councillors voted in favour of progressing the proposed transfer of Council-owned land at Ferry Street to WWCLT for an affordable housing project at the Council’s general June Meeting.
WWCLT’s first public meeting will be held on Saturday 25 July, 10-11:30am, at the School of the Arts Hall on Bowra St in Urunga. The second will be an online meeting on Monday 27 July, 6-7pm.
“The community land trust model we are proposing is new to Australia, so there are a lot of interesting and valid questions from the community that we are keen to respond to in a public forum,” said WWCLT Executive Officer Kerry Pearse
Those questions do include uncertainty about the legal status of the WWCLT and where funding for the project will come from.
“There is concern that we are a private developer. That absolutely isn’t the case, we are a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee with a charitable purpose.”
Ms Pearse said the trust will also reinforce its commitment to address the concerns of neighbours and Urunga community members around parking, traffic management and preserving trees on the site if the land transfer is approved.
“There is also legitimate concern about how people will be able to raise a mortgage for a community land trust model, so we will be talking about the work we are doing with a mutual bank.”
Ms Pearse said the WWCT will also release a statement on thier website that specifically addresses the questions and concerns from community members.
“We know that this is a very important decision for the council and the community, and we are approaching this with absolute transparency and integrity.”
“We are local community members working on housing solutions for our shire since 2018 and we want to further engage with the community around the facts of what’s happening so everyone can make an informed decision.”
“We see the community land trust model as an ethical and successful alternative to the current form of rental affordable housing, which was exposed on this week’s Four Corners program.”
“We really believe that this model could be one solution for our shire and other rural communities facing a housing crisis.”
“At the end of the day, the community are going have to want this for it be viable.”
Council is proposing to provide financial assistance to Waterfall Way Community Land Trust by transferring Council-owned land at Ferry Street, Urunga, with an independently assessed market value of $750,000, for a sale price of $1.
Community members can make their own online submissions on the proposed financial assistance at www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/Have-Your-Say. Submissions close on 29 July.