Cheap shots and gentrification Vs affordability

FLAT CHAT WRAP

A slightly shorter but more pointed podcast this week as Sue reports on plans to demolish two affordable-rent apartment blocks and replace them with one luxury block with fewer, but presumably high-end apartments.

It's another potential blow to the supply of affordable housing in desirable areas. City of Sydney have said “no” so the developers have appealed to the Land and Environment Court (LEC)– which held a kerbside hearing outside the site, the other day.

Apparently there are half a dozen other blocks of affordable homes in the Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay area – all marked for gentrification, and we’ve just heard it’s happening in Bondi too.

Now we know why there aren’t enough materials or skilled workers to build enough affordable apartment blocks – they’re all working on luxury pads for the privileged few while reducing the number of available homes.

Meanwhile Jimmy has taken serious umbrage at a report in the SMH Domain section which is a typical “neighbours from Hell” yarn. Which is all very well, but it’s not even here in Oz and, he says, gives a completely false (and predictably biased) impression of living in apartments.

And finally, on her way back from the LEC hearing, Sue chanced upon a vivid example of how hard it is to find somewhere affordable to rent in Sydney.

That’s all in this week’s Flat Chat Wrap.

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Recorded by Jimmy Thomson & Sue Williams; Transcribed by Otter.ai.
Find out more about Sue Williams and Jimmy Thomson on their websites.