Protect the Waterloo community

Not one home in Sydney is affordable for someone living on a JobSeeker allowance. 

We’re facing a housing and homelessness crisis in the city that’s only getting worse. People on low incomes are being shut out of our city, and the number of people sleeping rough on our streets is on the rise. Temporary solutions, such as emergency accommodation centres, are reaching capacity. 

To solve this crisis, we need more Social and Affordable Homes in the inner city. However, Federal Government spending on Social Housing hasn’t meaningfully increased since the 90s, and there have been shameful sell offs of Public Housing in the city in recent years.

Last year, the NSW Government announced targets to halve homelesness in the city by 2025. But without genuine investment into Social and Affordable Housing in the inner city, these targets are unachievable. 

The proposed redevelopment of the Waterloo Housing Estate provides a critical opportunity to build 3,700 homes for people on low incomes right here in the inner city.

The State Government's original proposal was shockingly overdeveloped, and provided a woeful 27 new Social Housing units. Despite being on public land, the scheme proposed that of 6,800 dwellings, 65 percent would be private housing, with only 30 per cent allocated to Social Housing and 5 per cent to Affordable Housing. At a time when we face a housing crisis and rising homelessness, this proposal was completely unacceptable. 

In response, the City’s team of expert planners developed an alternative proposal to show all state politicians that the redevelopment of Waterloo could be done better.

Our proposal puts the needs of the community first, and provides a more human mix of housing -- with 50 per cent Social Housing, 20 per cent Affordable Housing and 30 per cent private housing. Importantly our proposal will specifically set aside Affordable Homes for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. 

We would also reduce the density, with a total of up to 5300 homes, and retain and refurbish the Matavai and Turanga towers. All new buildings would range from 4-13 storeys, with most between four and nine storeys in height.

Our approach would ensure quality of life for residents, who would have access to a community centre and many public spaces, including a 2.2 hectare park within walking distance, drenched in sunshine all year round.

This proposal has the support of eminent architects: Professor Richard Johnson AO MBE, Sydney Design Advisory Panel member; Professor Peter Mould, former NSW Government Architect; and Professor Kerry Clare, Director Clare Design, Australian Institute of Architecture Gold Medallist.

It’s a better outcome for the Waterloo community and for our city, but to make it happen we need the support of the State and Federal Government.

Will you stand with us, so we can ensure everyone has a home in our city?