The Sydney Alliance presented the Fair Housing for Hornsby community forum at NorthernLife Baptist Church on the 5th of September.

Over 140 people attended the event, representing 24 civil society organisations, including Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter (HKWS) and Shelter NSW. At the forum, 14 candidates for the Hornsby Shire Council election attended.

Liberal candidate Warren Waddell, Greens candidate Tania Salitra, Labor candidate Janelle McIntosh, and Independent candidate Benjamin Caswell presented their vision for affordable housing in the community.

John Engler, CEO of Shelter NSW, encouraged Hornsby Shire Council on its track record over the past term to increase affordable housing.

Catherine Knox, Chair of the Board of HKWS spoke about how 50% of women leaving HKWS are forced to seek housing in the private sector, and often result to couch surfing or sleeping in their cars.

Candidates Waddell, Salitra, McIntosh, and Caswell committed to an audit of Council land and assets for affordable housing, establishing a public register of affordable housing, ensuring that affordable housing will be leased for no more than 30% of household income, and establishing a Community Working Group to promote affordable housing in the Bushland Shire.

The Post look forward to seeing if these commitments made will come to fruition during the new council term.