Friends,
I have an important update on the progress of our campaign to stop our neighbours from being made homeless.
1. City of Sydney Council unanimously passed our community’s motion
On Monday October 28, the City of Sydney Council unanimously passed a motion on the boarding houses. In summary that motion has seen the following take place:
1. The Council has written to the developer and has asked if they’re willing to sell the boarding houses. The Council is pending a reply.
2. The Council has written to a number of Community Housing Providers to ask if they would be willing to purchase the site, with a possible contribution from the City.
3. Lord Mayor Clover Moore has made a direct request to the Minister for Housing, Rose Jackson for a State contribution if the developer agrees to sell the property to a Community Housing Provider.
Our neighbours would like to sincerely thank the sponsoring and supporting Councillors, our Mayor and the Council staff for their support. They would also like to thank our local State member, Alex Greenwich for his strong advocacy and support.
There is still a tremendous amount of work to be done, however our neighbours are heartened by this development.
The decision to sell or not sits with the developer.
2. Visit by Alex Greenwich and the Head of Homes NSW – Rebecca Pinkstone
Alex and Rebecca will be visiting our neighbours on Thursday November 14 so that Rebecca can see the houses and meet our neighbours in person. It’s very important that the senior bureaucrat who may be responsible or the State’s investment decision meets our neighbours. Again, thank you to Alex for facilitating the meeting.
3. Land and Environment Court (LEC)
Along with the City, our community will present oral submissions to the Court when it hears the matter on December 3 and 4. The Selwyn Street Boarding Houses matter is a critical test case that will set an important precedent by preventing the developer from converting the houses into luxury homes.
It also provides a basis by which State planning law can be changed to offer much stronger protections to boarding house residents.
It is critical that the City wins the case.
4. Media coverage
Holly Tregenza and Keana Naughton wrote and shot a powerful piece for the ABC during the week – focussing on the boarding houses’ longest resident – Sav Durac (who has lived there for 56 years). The story was also covered on the ABC morning news bulletins that day.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/sydney-mornings/mornings/104538952
Go 1 hr, 32 mins, and 25 secs in.
Please also follow and share our neighbours’ story on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/save_our_neighbours/
5. If our petition grows to 20,000 signatures….
…the State’s purchase of the houses will be debated on the floor of State Parliament in November – again a very important step in saving our neighbours from being put onto the street. Please share the petition with your networks if you can. Our men need all the support you can give them.
Today, our petition has been:
· Signed by 16,500+ supporters
· Viewed by more than 180,000 people
· Shared ~2,500 times
· Promoted by ~440 of you
· Funded by ~ $8,000
Our neighbours and our team thank you again for your fantastic support.
Please share this update if you can.
Best wishes,
Mike