The Land and Environment Court has ruled against a developer’s plan to demolish the Selwyn Street boarding house in Paddington to make way for luxury homes.
The boarding house, which has provided affordable accommodation to men on low incomes for over 60 years, was purchased by a developer who intended to replace it with four luxury residences.
Redfern Legal Centre was involved in the legal and community campaign to save the boarding house, supporting residents to find suitable alternative accommodation after they were threatened with eviction and making submissions to the Court opposing the development on the grounds of affordable housing loss.
It's unfortunate that these legitimate concerns were not taken seriously by the developer, who went ahead with their plans—leading to most residents, including some who had lived in the boarding house for decades, vacating the property before the court's ruling.
This ruling marks a significant victory in the ongoing effort to preserve affordable housing and prevent the displacement of low-income tenants in the inner city.
Ned Cooke, Team Leader of the Inner Sydney Tenancy Advice & Advocacy Service (ISTAAS), said:
The Land and Environment Court’s decision affirms the critical importance of low-cost housing in the inner city and is a huge win for diverse, vibrant, and inclusive communities.
With record-high rent increases and a severe shortage of affordable housing, finding affordable accommodation in the inner city for low-income tenants is nearly impossible.
This ruling goes some way to balance the systemic lack of investment in affordable housing and the insufficient protections for marginalised renters.
All levels of government must act to ensure everyone has access to affordable housing and basic protections.
