Rodney Stevens
Clarence Valley Council is actively participating in the NSW Government’s short-term rental inquiry announced this month to investigate policy changes to help unlock housing supply and improve housing affordability in NSW.
Until March 14, people from across NSW can have their say on the adequacy of the current planning and regulatory framework for short-term rental accommodation in NSW and suggest potential policy options, including revenue measures, to incentivise property investors to make properties available for long-term rental accommodation.
Last September the NSW Government permitted Byron Shire Council to impose a 60-day cap on Short-Term rentals, reduced from 180 days in an attempt to free up vacant housing for long-term rental accommodation.
A Clarence Valley Council spokesperson said council elected to have non-hosted Short-Term Rental Accommodation STRA limited to 180-days residential areas in our main coastal towns and villages.
“Clarence Valley Council is actively participating in the NSW Government’s review of Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA),” the spokesperson said.
“STRA is basically the use of dwellings for short term accommodation on platforms such as AirBnB, as well as through traditional booking agents such as local real estate agents.
“Currently, the Clarence Valley has 673 registered non-hosted STRA dwellings, which is about 3 per-cent of dwellings in the Clarence Valley.
“It is the experience of Council staff that the vast majority of landowner comply with this limit.”
The spokesperson said council will consider its policy position on the STRA review at a future council meeting.
“The discussion paper outlines the many issues related to the use of dwellings as STRA, and the proposed management options being considered,” the spokesperson said.
“The NSW Government has not yet proposed any draft changes to the rules.”
Investigations on short-term rental website AirBnB showed Yamba had 156 properties listed for rental in the first week of March, with prices for a family of two adults and three children ranging from $780 for a three-bedroom residence for five days, up to $8635 over the same period for a five-bedroom beachfront home.
While at Iluka there were 58 properties listed on AirBnB over the same period, ranging from a three-bedroom residence for $896 to a six-bedroom property for $4333.
President of Local Government NSW Cr Darriea Turley AM said councils had been seeking changes to the regulations governing the industry for a number of years and the announcement was a step in the right direction.
“LGNSW welcomes the review and looks forward to direct engagement on behalf of our members on this critically important issue,” Cr Turley said.
“Councils want to have the ability to respond flexibly in this area to balance housing needs as well as the local visitor economy.
Cr Turley said an outcome of the review needed to be returning more of the existing housing stock to the long-term rental market.
“We think this will be the fastest way to provide immediate relief to housing pressures,” she said.
The review has also been strongly endorsed by Homelessness NSW CEO, Dom Rowe, who also called for increased funding to homelessness services in NSW.
“All options to tackle the homelessness crisis must be on the table. We need to boost housing supply across the board to ensure everyone has a safe place to call home.
“NSW needs to build 5,000 social housing dwellings a year for the next decade while exploring immediate measures to free up long-term rental availability.”
To view the discussion paper and make a submission before the March 14 deadline visit https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/draftplans/exhibition/discussion-paper-short-and-long-term-rental-accommodation