University of Wollongong (UOW) students are urging the state government to deliver build-to-rent housing in Wollongong’s inner city, warning the region’s affordability crisis is locking them out of secure housing.
It comes after NSW Premier Chris Minns on Sunday announced construction had begun on a $65 million ‘build-to-rent development’ in Bomaderry. The project will deliver 12 properties for households on very low to moderate incomes.
UOW Young Labor Club President Noah Hardie said build-to-rent projects have a key role in addressing the housing affordability crisis for both current and graduated students.
“Build-to-rent projects are important, and it’s great to see the Minns Labor government backing them in,” Mr Hardie said.
“If you can’t afford to relocate for work then your skills are not being as productively used as they could be. It strains communities and locks young people out of having a real stake in society.”
Mr Hardie said long-term affordable housing was essential for students to get into the housing market.
“I think there is something to the idea of an ‘ownership society’ and that home ownership gives people a tangible means of setting down roots,” he said.
For many students, however, the idea of renting or owning a home seems out of reach.
UOW student Rob Lacey has been living in his van since January to avoid rental prices. He said moving into a home was not possible while studying.
“The [rental] market is very expensive, but with the van there are no real expenses apart from fuel,” he said. “It’s less comfortable … but to be somewhere comfortable, it’s far too expensive.”
Mr Lacey said Wollongong needed state government–funded housing closer to campus.
“Affordable housing for youth is a great idea, but Bomaderry is, of course, too far to commute to the University of Wollongong,” he said. “A development around Wollongong would be great.”
Mature-aged student Jonathan Steel agreed but said larger-scale projects were needed to ease housing stress.
“If you’re doing 60 houses in Kiama, that’s not enough,” Mr Steel said. “You need to be doing a lot more in those bigger cities and closer to the centres where students actually are.”
Mr Steel further stated that timely developments are required to avoid rental costs pushing graduates out of the homeownership market long-term.
