THE everyday cost of living just keeps heading north, and electricity and petrol prices are leaving huge holes in the budget for many local residents.
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But 33 new community housing units in Clinton Street will go a long way to relieving rental stress for some of Goulburn’s lower income earners.
The new Baptist Community Services (BCS) Clinton Place development was officially launched last Thursday, with tenants set to move in at the end of the month. BSC CEO Ross Low told the Post that quality, affordable community housing was in high demand in Goulburn.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for BCS to provide this community housing, and I think there’s a shortage of good, affordable rental accommodation, and hopefully this will relieve that rent stress that’s inherent in Goulburn at the moment,” Mr Low said.
For older and disadvantaged people living in the Goulburn area, the challenge of finding and funding a rental home is significant, with some people paying more than 50 per cent of their Centrelink benefit in rent.
The new development features a mix of one and two bedroom units. Of the 33 units built, 25 are being provided to people eligible for social housing and another eight units are being provided to people eligible for affordable housing.
Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Geoff Kettle officially opened BSC Clinton Place at Thursday’s launch, and praised the joint initiative.
“Baptist Community Services’ Clinton Place is the perfect example of a partnership within the local community with a direct focus on providing a much-needed boost to low-cost, affordable housing, and I commend their initiative to all of you here today,” Cr Kettle said.
“I congratulate Baptist Community Services, and their partners Integrated Design Group, Clarendon Homes and Hanna Newman and Associates for a job well done,” he said.
Construction of the new units took 11 months and was carried out by builder Clarendon Homes, in conjunction with architects from Integrated Design Group, and Project Administrators from Hanna Newman and Associates.
Funding was sourced from New South Wales Housing, the Federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, and BSC. Member for Goulburn Pru Goward also attended the launch last week, and welcomed the new community housing development.
