Tweed Shire Council has welcomed more than $8 million in funding announced by the Australian Government to deliver affordable housing for Murwillumbah.
Tweed Mayor Barry Longland joined Member for Richmond Justine Elliot and Chief Executive Officer for Horizon Housing Solutions Ltd Jason Cubit in turning the first sod for the project in May.
The $8.36 million in funding will allow the construction of necessary infrastructure to enable the delivery of 52 affordable homes at the Hundred Hills development at Bray Park in Murwillumbah.
Under the funding agreement, Council must ensure the construction of at least 52 dwellings on the lots in a mix of homes and duplexes. Of the 52 (or more), at least 30 are to be sold at a discount of 20 to 30 percent off market price, with the remaining 22 lots retained as affordable housing by Horizon and rented at no more than 80 percent of market rent.
Councillor Longland said the aim of the Australian Government’s Building Better Regional Cities Program (BBRC) was to invest in local infrastructure projects that support an increase in the number of homes or dwellings for sale and rent that are affordable for working families on ordinary incomes.
“This is a major affordable housing project which will provide significant benefits to the Tweed community.
“We thank the Australian Government and in particular, our local Federal member, Justine Elliot MP for her support in this initiative.
“Local government authorities find affordable housing to be one of their most difficult challenges, so it is wonderful to see this injection of funding.
“In the Tweed and in Murwillumbah in particular, many struggle on wages below the State average and we’re aware there’s certainly demand for affordable housing in our community. This funding is going to go a long way towards assisting Council address that need.”
