Tiny homes for 'leafy' region's rough sleepers held up by planning rules

In a region often regarded as affluent, a New South Wales Southern Highlands retiree wants to tackle the less visible problem of homelessness by hosting a tiny home on part of her rural property. 

Lynda Porter is the first landowner to partner with not-for-profit organisation Lydia's Legacy, which hopes to provide longer-term accommodation for those doing it tough. 

She was inspired by the charity's "fantastic idea" to increase housing stock by building moveable tiny homes on suitable private land. 

"Our place seemed like a good spot," Ms Porter said from her Moss Vale home of over 30 years. 

"We're not too far from town and a leafy block so you're not overlooked by neighbours." 

Government roadblocks

But, Lydia's Legacy said it had been unable to launch its pilot project due to local and state government planning hurdles. 

"[Wingecarribee] Council don't really recognise a tiny home on wheels because … it's built to a different standard," chairman Paul Riley said. 

"The state government allows tiny homes but they don't allow them to be fully occupied unless you are part of the main household or are somebody escaping a [natural] disaster.

"We've said homeless is a disaster for one, but it is still a disaster."

Mr Riley pleaded the same case last year at the NSW parliamentary inquiry into rural housing and secondary dwellings.

The NSW government supported three of its six recommendations, including simpler approvals for rural secondary dwellings and exemptions so certain moveable homes could house homelessness people.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the NSW Department of Planning, Housing Infrastructure said it was progressing with policy work in line with its response to the report, "with a focus on ensuring any future reforms support local housing needs".

They acknowledged secondary dwellings and dual occupancies could provide "more flexible living arrangements [for] people experiencing housing stress or homelessness".

A Wingecarribee Shire Council spokesperson said in a statement it did not have a specific policy related to tiny homes and had advised Lydia's Legacy to monitor emerging state government changes.

Mr Riley said he was continuing to explore his options, but Ms Porter's tiny home may have to follow the council's development application process. 

Hidden homeless issue

Despite being one of the state's wealthiest areas, charity St Vincent de Paul said there were about 72 homeless people a night in the Southern Highlands last financial year. 

"We've got people living in cars, in the bush and couch surfing," Southern Highlands Homelessness Service caseworker Renee Pettifer said. 

"It's not out in the open for people to see so most people don't realise our homeless issue.

"There is not one property in the highlands that anyone on a Centrelink payment could afford to pay."

Argyle Housing CEO Carolyn Doherty said initiatives like Lydia's Legacy could help take "immediate pressure" off the social housing provider's record-high waitlist. 

"The waitlist for priority housing is around five years and the average wait turn is around 10 years plus," Ms Doherty said. 

"There has to be collective vision and a shared responsibility on removing the roadblocks wherever possible to provide innovative solutions for homelessness and that's what we hope [Lydia's Legacy] can have happen."

How it works

Under the proposed initiative, tenants come from a wait list overseen by Argyle Housing, with the homes themselves managed by St Vincent de Paul's Southern Highlands Homelessness Service.  

At 8-metres-long and 2.5-metres wide, Lydia's Legacy would contract a local business that could build a tiny home in about eight weeks.

Mr Riley said with all the features of a regular-sized home, tenants would have a place to call their own for up to five years.

He said charitable donations and philanthropy would cover the cost of the tiny home of up to $150,000. 

"We'd like our model to be used by other areas because we know housing affordability and availability is a big issue right across the country, but this region is where we want to start," Mr Riley said. 

Participating home owners like Ms Porter would pay for plumbing, electricity, sewer, council fees and insurance of up to $8,000 a year, with the opportunity to own the tiny home after a decade. 

"We're in a position now we can help people, so to me, it's a no-brainer," Ms Porter said. 

"Because you hope that someone would do that for you if you were in that position."