Collingwood's Affordable Housing Revival: A New Chapter

0:00It's April 15th. This is Sydney News Today, powered by AI. Yars City Council just voted to bring back a controversial affordable housing project in Collingwood five years after it crashed and burned. This time, it scaled way down to 50 apartments on their own car parkland behind St. Philips Church, north of the town hall. Back in 2021, a green-led council shot down a bigger state-backed plan for 200 units, mixing social, affordable, and market rate. Homes. They wanted only pure public housing, but now under independent control, and Mayor Steven Jolly's watch, the sights getting a fresh shot strictly. Affordable rentals, no-state land involved. Locals are split some back to housing push for forgotten renters, but others, like resident Anya Kulicki, hate the eight-story height in a heritage. Zone near the 140-year-old town hall. In survey, showed 46% against it, mainly over shadows and skyline changes.

1:00To qualify, folks got to work in Yara and earn up to about 89,000 for singles, or, and 33,000 for couples higher than usual caps, with a rents cap at 75% of market rates. Council wants a fast tracking to call the shots and is putting out calls for developer interest. Big money row blocks loom though, no council cash, and federal funds need 200-plus units so they're betting a private builder sees profit in. This slim setup. Jolly calls it his legacy move, we'll see if it sticks to landing without more drama.