MORE than 200 people joined a Hunter Community Alliance delegates assembly this week to push for innovative solutions to affordable housing, homelessness, climate and transition.
Options on the table included for-purpose real estate in the Hunter, guaranteed social housing at the Hunter Park and Broadmeadow precinct projects, and a community-led project at Hamilton South.
Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Cessnock mayor Jay Suvaal attended and have made commitments to each of the alliance's asks.
The City of Newcastle has agreed to support a campaign targeting property owners and landlords to manage their properties through for-purpose real estate agents, and or to suggest to their existing agents to consider supporting more vulnerable people.
The concept involves using profits from property management to support social housing tenants.
As part of the Hunter Park and Broadmeadow Precinct projects, the Hunter Community Alliance, which is made up of civil action groups, environmental groups, trade unions, the Community Disability Alliance Hunter (CDAH) and many others, asks that all social and affordable homes are made available for that purpose in perpetuity.
Their target is for 30 per cent of homes, or 780 - whichever is greater, to be set aside as social and affordable homes as part of any residential development that goes ahead as part of the project.
Another request is for the homes and leasing arrangements to be managed by government and not-for-profit organisations.
Those in attendance were encouraged to attend a climate summit being held in Newcastle on November 18. Ahead of that, the HCA is pushing for Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Cessnock local governments to establish a joint pitch to the Federal Government for a local community renewable initiative, such as a decentralised renewable energy grid for Newcastle.
CDAH convenor David Belcher said the assembly was enormously successful.
"It demonstrated a real show of diversity and show of strength from a range of organisations based in the Hunter, and highlights that power to those in elected office," Mr Belcher said.
Mr Belcher, who grew up in Scone and moved to Lake Macquarie close to 20 years ago, said there had been a real shift in the region and the community had made itself clear that it was ready and willing to act for change.
"So often organisations have acted within silos so the idea that these groups are coming together for a shared purpose and with shared goals we've all agreed on is incredibly powerful," he said.
"It makes it harder for decision-makers to ignore the voices of the people in the community."
