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Tweed Affordable Housing Strategy

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Consultation has concluded

The Tweed Affordable Housing Strategy has been adopted following community input. The draft Tweed Affordable Strategy was on public exhibition from 27 June to 7 August 2024 and received 49 community submissions. This is in addition to the previous 231 online responses which were received in response to a survey hosted in March 2024. At the December Council meeting, Council decided to adopt the strategy.

Council will now commence the preparation of the Tweed Affordable Contribution Scheme which is a key action of the Affordable Housing Strategy. 

View the Tweed Affordable Housing Strategy.

What's happening?

Across the Tweed there is an undersupply of the right homes, in the right places, for the people who need them most. 

Affordable housing is for anyone in the community who belong to households with very low, low or moderate incomes. This can include families, older people, essential workers, people with a disability, students, recent graduates, migrants, refugees and more. 

Only 2.9% of all homes in Tweed Shire are affordable and social housing. Council is committed to taking steps to facilitate more social and affordable housing for the community, many of whom are experiencing rental and mortgage stress. 

The Affordable Housing Strategy aims to unlock opportunities for increasing the supply of affordable housing. Its main focus is on social and affordable housing, which is subsidised, long-term housing for those very low, low and moderate incomes and subject to affordability and eligibility requirements set by the government. 

The draft Affordable Housing Strategy was on exhibition for the community to review from 27 June to 7 August 2024. 

Why do we need more affordable and social housing?

There are many misconceptions within the community around who needs affordable and social housing. Affordable housing is for anyone who belong to households with very low, low or moderate incomes. There is a group of ‘new vulnerable’ individuals and families who, even though employed, find that they cannot afford a mortgage or rental property. 

People needing access to affordable and social housing include older people, single parents, homeless individuals, young adults, veterans, essential workers, people with a disability, students, recent graduates, migrants and refugees and victims of domestic violence. Without intervention, the current shortage of affordable housing will only increase. 

What role can Council play in the supply of affordable housing?

Although many people need affordable housing, there simply isn't enough available. The Affordable Housing Strategy outlines a number of ways that Council can facilitate the delivery of more affordable housing including:

  • Council can mandate targets for social and affordable housing ensuring that there is housing supply for current and future generations.
  • Council can partner and collaborate with key organisations to demonstrate and implement initiatives for the delivery of social and affordable housing.
  • Council can develop and refine council policies and remove barriers by improving the regulatory process. 


The Tweed Affordable Housing Strategy has been adopted following community input. The draft Tweed Affordable Strategy was on public exhibition from 27 June to 7 August 2024 and received 49 community submissions. This is in addition to the previous 231 online responses which were received in response to a survey hosted in March 2024. At the December Council meeting, Council decided to adopt the strategy.

Council will now commence the preparation of the Tweed Affordable Contribution Scheme which is a key action of the Affordable Housing Strategy. 

View the Tweed Affordable Housing Strategy.

What's happening?

Across the Tweed there is an undersupply of the right homes, in the right places, for the people who need them most. 

Affordable housing is for anyone in the community who belong to households with very low, low or moderate incomes. This can include families, older people, essential workers, people with a disability, students, recent graduates, migrants, refugees and more. 

Only 2.9% of all homes in Tweed Shire are affordable and social housing. Council is committed to taking steps to facilitate more social and affordable housing for the community, many of whom are experiencing rental and mortgage stress. 

The Affordable Housing Strategy aims to unlock opportunities for increasing the supply of affordable housing. Its main focus is on social and affordable housing, which is subsidised, long-term housing for those very low, low and moderate incomes and subject to affordability and eligibility requirements set by the government. 

The draft Affordable Housing Strategy was on exhibition for the community to review from 27 June to 7 August 2024. 

Why do we need more affordable and social housing?

There are many misconceptions within the community around who needs affordable and social housing. Affordable housing is for anyone who belong to households with very low, low or moderate incomes. There is a group of ‘new vulnerable’ individuals and families who, even though employed, find that they cannot afford a mortgage or rental property. 

People needing access to affordable and social housing include older people, single parents, homeless individuals, young adults, veterans, essential workers, people with a disability, students, recent graduates, migrants and refugees and victims of domestic violence. Without intervention, the current shortage of affordable housing will only increase. 

What role can Council play in the supply of affordable housing?

Although many people need affordable housing, there simply isn't enough available. The Affordable Housing Strategy outlines a number of ways that Council can facilitate the delivery of more affordable housing including:

  • Council can mandate targets for social and affordable housing ensuring that there is housing supply for current and future generations.
  • Council can partner and collaborate with key organisations to demonstrate and implement initiatives for the delivery of social and affordable housing.
  • Council can develop and refine council policies and remove barriers by improving the regulatory process. 


Consultation has concluded

  • Community Engagement Summary

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    Affordable Housing Strategy - what you told us.

    Thank you to all residents who participated in the recent Affordable Housing community survey. Overall, 230 online responses were received via Your Say Tweed. The community survey was open for feedback from 6 March to 19 April 2024 to understand how residents of the Tweed felt about Affordable Housing.

    The survey focused on four key questions:

    • How do you feel about new social and affordable housing development potentially being integrated within your neighbourhood?
    • Would you accept higher density forms of housing, which is essential for financial feasibility?
    • Can you think of potential solutions or options to improve the supply and choice of social and affordable housing?
    • Have you considered what other ways may exist to support very low to low-income earners in terms of accessing housing and essential support services?


    In response 80% of respondents feel social and affordable housing is somewhat to very urgent.


    The top 3 key concerns respondents have about future housing within the Tweed are:

    • the next generation’s ability to buy/rent a house (150 respondents)
    • that they may have to move out of the area (67 respondents)
    • that they can’t/won’t be able to afford to buy a house (62 respondents)


    When asked where affordable and social housing is best located responses stated:

    • In every village and town (115 respondents)
    • Only in larger communities which are well serviced - Tweed Heads, Kingscliff and Murwillumbah (81 respondents)
    • In emerging areas such as Cobaki, Kings Forest and Bilambil Heights (81 respondents)
    • 52 respondents stated other.


    Overall, 49.8% of respondents would be happy to live next door to an affordable housing development, while 31.6% said they would not and 18.6% were unsure.


    In response to overall acceptance of more diverse housing types to be developed Tweed’s neighbourhoods to meet different housing needs 60.6% of respondents said yes, 29% said no and 10.4% were unsure.


    The next stage of this project is to review all findings and analysis and develop a draft strategy for Affordable Housing in the Tweed which will be placed on public exhibition for further comment and review.