Residents and local councils are being invited to provide feedback
The city of Ballarat is requesting public feedback on its new Draft Social and Affordable Housing Action Plan, aimed at addressing the growing housing issues in the municipality. With housing concerns escalating across Australia, Ballarat is taking steps to contribute to social and affordable housing solutions through a comprehensive plan that focuses on facilitation and advocacy to meet community needs, according to a media release.
The action plan, now open for public consultation, is detailed on Ballarat’s MySay page. It includes a brief survey for residents to submit their feedback. The document categorizes initiatives into five key themes: land, policy and planning, community engagement, partnerships, and advocacy and further investigations.
Mayor Cr Des Hudson emphasised the importance of the involvement of local councils despite the primary responsibilities lying with federal and state governments.
“We know the housing issue is growing in Australia and Ballarat is not immune from that, so there is an urgent need for action now,” Hudson said. “While there are some roles that local government play within social and affordable housing, there are also constraints that must be considered along with the main responsibilities that sit with other levels of government.”
This initiative marks the first time Ballarat has created an action plan in this field. Mayor Hudson acknowledged that more work is needed but expressed optimism about the city’s efforts to address the housing issue.
In addition to the MySay survey, the city of Ballarat will host three drop-in sessions for residents to gather more information and provide feedback. These sessions will be held on:
- Monday, 27 May, 9 am - 12 pm at the Atrium, Phoenix Building, 25 Armstrong Street South
- Tuesday, 4 June, 1 pm - 4 pm at Barkly Square, 25-39 Barkly Street, Ballarat
- Thursday, 13 June, 4 pm - 7 pm at Sebastopol Library, Albert Street, Sebastopol
Public consultation will remain open until Sunday, 16 June. Feedback from the community and further discussions with service and housing providers will shape the final action plan, which is expected to be presented to the Council in July.
For more details and to participate in the survey, residents can visit Ballarat’s MySay page.
