New Community Land Trust to Create Diversity of Housing in the Byron Shire
The largest number of people experiencing homelessness in NSW, outside of Sydney, is in the Byron Shire, and that number is growing at an alarming rate. Women and children are being forced into homelessness in unprecedented numbers and our key workers, the very people that make our community ‘tick’, are being forced to leave the area simply because they can’t find anywhere affordable to live.
Put simply, Byron’s in trouble and we as a community need to do something about it. We need to go beyond talking about solutions and start implementing solutions.
The Byron Shire Community Land Trust: A Community Led Solution
As a community, there’s only so much we can do to influence national housing policies. But that doesn’t preclude us from taking direct action at a local level. Looking to how other communities have responded to similar problems, the standout community-led model is that of a Community Land Trust.
With this is mind the Northern Rivers Community Foundation (NRCF) and Creative Capital are now in the process of establishing the Byron Shire Community Land Trust, a not-for-profit organisation with the singular purpose of creating modest and well-designed rental accommodation for people of modest means.
Emily Berry, CEO of Northern Rivers Community Foundation has been working on the project with Brandon Saul of Creative Capital. “The Byron Shire Community Land Trust is based on internationally recognised Community Land Trust models. These are democratically controlled not-for-profit organisations owning real estate to benefit a local community. The principal purpose of the Byron Shire Community Land Trust is to create permanent rental opportunities for low to moderate income households adversely impacted by market conditions.”
The Community Land Trust will be governed by a Board of Directors who will ensure housing opportunities meet community needs. Louise O’Connell, General Manager of Byron Community Centre, John Callanan, ex Chair and now Patron of Northern Rivers Community Foundation, Tony Davies, CEO of Social Futures, and Brandon Saul, Managing Director of Creative Capital are 4 out of a possible 7 Directors that will head up the Community Land Trust’s first Board. The group is liaising with members of other local community service providers to contribute to the skills-based Board.
Louise O’Connell, General Manager of the Byron Community Centre explains her motivation for getting involved. “The permanent housing crisis in our community is now at an emergency stage and needs direct solutions. Here at the Byron Community Centre we do our best to support vulnerable community members, including an increasing number of women and children, but there is very little affordable housing available.
Housing provided by the Community Land Trust will allow vulnerable members of our community to transition to a more permanent home. Fletcher Street Cottage will open soon to provide support for people at risk of homelessness, or already sleeping rough, and will act as a referral service for the Land Trust.”
Pilot Project: Housing for Women and Children
The initial project encompasses up to three co-housing properties on rural land between Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads, to provide safe, secure and stable housing for women and children. The project would not have been possible without the support of a small group of committed and generous locals who have donated land and seed capital.
“Access to safe and stable housing is a basic human right and we welcome and applaud the Byron Community for rallying around this initiative,” says Tracey Mackie, CEO Momentum Collective.
“The Byron Shire Community Land Trust will provide a scalable, self-perpetuating model that has the best possible chance of creating meaningful, long-term change. We look forward to working the community and Byron Shire Council to make this pilot project a reality,” says Emily Berry.
For more information, contact Emily at Northern Rivers Community Foundation ceo@nrcf.org.au or 0499 862 886.