[North Eveleigh] Homes NSW Consultation / Darlington Activity Centre / Council Entertainment and Noise Changes / OFFICE / Seasons Greetings / Festival of Urbanism Vids / No Dec REDWatch

Wed Dec 4 15:39:49 AEDT 2024

Dear REDWatch members, supporters and agencies,

Homes for NSW discussion paper - Have your say until 20 December

Darlington Activity Centre opens - Open Day 14 December

Council Changes on Entertainment Precincts and Managing Entertainment Sound and Trading Hours - until 20 January 2025

Reminder Waterloo tower options with OFFICE - 7 Dec 10:30 am

No December REDWatch Meeting

Season's Greetings

Festival of Urbanism holiday viewing
Please note - this email contains hyperlinks. This means that if you see a blue underlined word or phrase that you can click on it and go directly to a document or to get more information.
Homes for NSW discussion paper - Have your say until 20 December
Homes NSW released on 3 December 2024 its much awaited discussion paper on its future operations. Tenants and agencies only have until 20 December to comment on a range of important questions - a very short period in normal circumstances, but ridiculous during the silly season. This timeframe makes it impossible for many agencies to consult and prepare submissions on the important questions raised and an extension of the time will likely be requested.
The details of the consultation can be found on https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/homes-nsw-plan. A webinar on the paper will be held on Monday 9 December at 12pm, you can register for it on Zoom here<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gvM7m7sBSwi_hY2HoyzUWw__;!!MuTgN5zQqgRwsA!EGlmr3IaH3YVjz5CVO5Vl0gs39ZjZRvYlvWPfd_7MAKRtYLJwgzBRF2kwjuYuSfnkgX0a4CoYioHAbUVCBYXKgEIX_o0OBFDHQ$>.
Two discussion papers have been released:
Homes NSW say short paper<https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/download_file/view/6902/1555> is most relevant to community and consumers. It asks for feedback on the following questions:

  1.  Our proposed vision is 'Everyone has access to a decent home and support if they need it'. What does that mean to you?
  2.  What changes would make it easier for people to access social housing, and other housing and homelessness services they need?
  3.  What changes should we make to improve the management of social housing tenancies?
  4.  How do we make sure the homes we're building now are the right ones for our customers, now and into the future?
  5.  How can the housing and homelessness system work more smoothly for customers?
Homes NSW say the longer discussion paper<https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/download_file/view/6903/1555> is most relevant to partners and housing or homelessness providers. It asks for feedback on the following questions:

  1.  Does the vision that 'Everyone has access to a decent home and support if they need it' provide an appropriate system-wide purpose and direction for all providers to work towards over the next 10 years?
  2.  Are these the right priorities to achieve the vision?
  3.  What does great engagement with tenants and communities look like?
  4.  Have we missed any challenges or possible reforms around customer-driven service?
  5.  What changes do you think we should make to improve social housing access and tenancy management?
  6.  How do we make sure the homes we build in the next few years are the right ones to meet the current urgent need, and the needs of our customers in the long term?
  7.  What changes should we make to ensure strong and sustainable estate communities?
  8.  What actions would make the biggest impact in creating a housing and homelessness system that works?
  9.  What actions would make the biggest impact to increase self-determination for Aboriginal people and families across the NSW housing and homelessness system?
  10. What are the risks and opportunities in developing an agreed set of system-wide measures to track progress against the priorities and objectives?
Having your say:
Homes NSW has two online surveys one each for each paper which it says if you have the discussion paper open you should be able to complete in 10 minutes for the short paper and 25 minutes for the long paper. The Surveys can be found at https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/homes-nsw-plan/survey .
You can also have your say by sending an email to theplan at homes.nsw.gov.au<mailto:theplan at homes.nsw.gov.au>
The current Homes NSW Discussion Paper is running concurrently with a Consultation on draft NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035<https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/nsw-response-to-homelessness/new-nsw-homelessness-strategy-2024-2034> which is open for feedback until 14 February 2025. The Homelessness Strategy is a state wide strategy, while the Homes NSW discussion paper relates primarily to the operation of the Homes NSW agency.
Next Stage
Homes NSW say your feedback will help it produce a Homes for NSW Plan which will be released in early 2025. The plan will focus on the housing and homelessness system, including:

  *   management of existing social housing
  *   how we can build more and better social and affordable homes
  *   what we can do to ensure homelessness is rare, brief and not repeated
  *   how all parts of the system can work better together
  *   how we can get the best possible outcomes for our customers including tenants, people waiting for social housing and people experiencing homelessness.
Darlington Activity Centre opens - Open Day 14 December
The Darlington Activity Centre renovations have finally been completed, and the centre will reopen with an Open Day next week - 10am, Sat 14 December 2024. More details here: Darlington Activity Centre information day | City of Sydney - What's On<https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/darlington-activity-centre-information-day>
The Darlington Activity Centre on Shepherd St is a large space with a commercial kitchen and gardens, which was built by the City of Sydney Council in the 1960s. It had variously operated as a centre for older residents, a staffed community centre, a child care centre and an arts space. However, it became run down and was closed during COVID. Council had no plans to reopen the space, until a community campaign led by locals Matt and Nathan McCarthy in 2023. Matt McCarthy has recently joined the REDWatch Coord Group.
Following a community survey and public meetings, the residents petitioned Council to reopen the space so it could be used for free, community hire, and activities led by volunteers. Council agreed in December 2023. Council works to repair the space have been completed this year, with a new fence, new garden furniture, removing mould and asbestos, painting the inside, and fixing the partially broken sewerage system.
The space will be available for community hire from 18 December 2024. The hire conditions will be the same as for other City of Sydney community venues.  That is, free for local community groups like REDWatch and volunteer groups like local choirs, discounted fees for artists and musicians to hire, and reduced fees for other not for profits including political groups. Hire is available after hours and weekends. Check out the space and the hire form on the Council's website here Darlington Activity Centre - City of Sydney<https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/hireable-indoor-spaces/darlington-activity-centre>
Council Changes on Entertainment Precincts and Managing Entertainment Sound and Trading Hours - until 20 January 2025
Two related proposals are currently on exhibition by City of Sydney Council that will be of interest to those who enjoy or are impacted by the night time economy. The proposals are:

*         Development Control Plan Changes to manage entertainment sound and trading hours<https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/policy-planning-changes/your-say-proposed-amendments-managing-entertainment-sound-trading-hours> including requirements for venues and nearby residential developments. This includes sound proofing requirements on future venues and residential developments near existing venues.

*         Special Entertainment Precincts<https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/policy-planning-changes/your-say-special-entertainment-precincts> proposes to make existing late-night trading areas into special entertainment precincts in line with state government changes. This change would lead to standard operating hours within these areas without a DA and allow reduced liquor licencing fees and extended hours for venues offering live performances. Special Entertainment Precincts are part of the NSW Government's vibrancy reforms. This is the Council discussion paper<https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/policy-planning-changes/your-say-special-entertainment-precincts#proposed-precincts>.
There are some significant differences between the areas, which the DCP recognises that it needs to manage sound from and the Special Entertainment Precincts. For example Carriageworks in the proposed DCP map is shown as having a significant impact on surrounding residents, but it is not in the Special Entertainment Precincts at all. The Eveleigh Hotel on Abercrombie Street is shown as impacting the area around it but it is not included in the of Special Entertainment Precinct at the bottom of The Block, which does not have any late night operating venues in that part of Redfern.
REDWatch recommends that local residents consult the DCP Maps<file://stnas/Geoff/downloads/Draft%20Development%20Control%20Plan%20-%20Entertainment%20Sound%20Management%20-%20Maps.pdf> and the Special Entertainment Precincts discussion paper<https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/policy-planning-changes/your-say-special-entertainment-precincts#proposed-precincts> for their area to see how you might be impacted by these changes. Submissions can be made by 20th December through the Sydney Your Say links at the beginning of this post.
Reminder Waterloo tower options with OFFICE - 7 Dec 10:30 am
OFFICE is holding a community workshop to present to residents a potential future of Waterloo North Public Housing Estate. This will be an opportunity to provide feedback and input into the study. The Waterloo North Community Workshop will be held 7th December 10:30am-12:00 Midday at Counterpoint's The Factory, 67 Raglan St, Waterloo. You can reserve a spot on Eventbrite here<https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/retain-repair-reinvest-waterloo-north-workshop-tickets-1090423458919?aff=oddtdtcreator>.
No December REDWatch Meeting
There will be no REDWatch meeting on 5th December.
Transport for NSW has agreed with ARAG, REDWatch and FOE that a community meeting on the pedestrian bridge studies will not be held until 2025.
Season's Greetings
Unless something else of importance drops this maybe the last REDWatch email update for 2024, so we will take the opportunity to pass on our season's greetings. REDWatch wishes all those engaged with us and the area the very best wishes for the Christmas and New Year Season. We hope you manage a quiet and restful break and emerge in the New Year feeling rested and again able to take on the challenges in our community that we keep being thrown.
Festival of Urbanism holiday viewing
Sydney University's Henry Halloran Research Trust has started posting the videos from this year's Festival of Public Urbanism - you can see some of the sessions they recorded here<https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe90JfXTV3c_Zpfl9SkQbY-90irsH5KZn>.
They have also posted an edited version of 2023 Walking Tour: Redfern / Waterloo with REDWatch<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwEhkko6jUo&list=PLe90JfXTV3c8K2ftwxO0q0wQ9fOyH_vhi&index=13&pp=iAQB> which focused on contested urbanism in Redfern and Waterloo. The 2024 walking tour focused on public urbanism in Waterloo.
Regards,

Geoff
Geoffrey Turnbull
REDWatch Co-Spokesperson
Ph Wk: (02) 8004 1490  Mob: 0418 457 392
email: spokesperson at redwatch.org.au<mailto:spokesperson at redwatch.org.au>
web: www.redwatch.org.au<http://www.redwatch.org.au/>
FB: www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/<http://www.facebook.com/RedfernEveleighDarlingtonWaterlooWatch/>

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