Inner Sydney Social Housing being sold into Bankers paradise

 Occupy Sydney agree with most Australians that Affordability is a key issue for all Australians. As peoples real incomes and ability to self sustain are eroded by pro corporate government policy born of collusion between Political Parties and Big Business , Occupy Sydney participants believe that a discussion -and action , must begin in public forums where all can attend and participate freely. Occupy Sydney participants locally and the Occupy Movement internationally are about asserting the publics right to hold such discussions freely in public space and we cordially invite the public to discuss Housing and Livings Cost Affordability from 5pm at the Corner of Martin Place and Elizabeth St from 4pm May 19th.
 As Sydney property prices and rents career skyward driven by Real Estate hyperbole and lack of social equity based regulation Social Housing in New South Wales has become a landbank for the NSW Government a goldmine for developers and speculators, a source of cashflow for heartless NGOs and a lottery for expectant low income tenants.

Housing NSW property
already sold for over $2mil ...
not to tenants

 The current gentrification of near harbour and convenient to Sydney CBD Ultimo Pyrmont and Millers Point has seen a rash of sales of Department of Housing owned properties in those areas - with more to come.Faced with critical shortages of  affordable housing across Sydney -particularly in the City of Sydney area ,Housing NSW has seen fit to sell off larger Inner City properties and replace them with small housing units in the Inner West and other areas.
 There is no plan for Housing NSW to replace either affordable housing in the Rocks Millers Point or Pyrmont - or housing of these configurations anywhere . Meantime large families and extended family households are being told they cannot be housed.Many social housing applicants are being told they cannot be housed   
 Housing NSW 's own Sale of Homes Policy states that they prioritise sales to tenants (providing tenants can afford market prices) -with several get out of jail clauses which render this policy at best a selective furphy. Tenancy income criteria precludes people with such an asset base becoming or remaining as tenants.But of course the Millers Point properties are offered only by auction and sell at prices of $2million plus -largely to re-developers. 


 Meanwhile at The Hungry Mile a greed driven alliance of Developers Government departments and Bankers force Bankers Paradise on an unconsenting local community.The project will transform the previous working wharves and the adjacent Millers Point into an enclave for the rich. Few if any Barangaroo workers will afford to live locally -whether as renters or buyers. There is zero social housing dividend at Barangaroo.


 To facilitate this massive bankers paradise over $300million of NSW State Government (umm...your) money will be spent building connector ways to an already overburdened Wynyard Station.


 All commercial Development applications should consider the incomes of the people who will work in the finished project -and ensure that there is either an affordable housing component that can accomodate each worker OR that such accommodation is readily available in the area. Over time such a policy would have the positive effect of lowering capital and maintenance infrastruture costs as well as causing businesses to consider co location where their worker demographic can afford to reside.Such policy will also have the desirable social and human resources dividend of less stressed workers having more time to involve themselves in family and community.