Not-for-profits 'devastated' by council's planned $14m land sell-off

Not-for-profit groups on the NSW South Coast say they are "devastated' by a plan to uproot their services as part of a $14 million council land deal.The Shoalhaven City Council has narrowly voted to rezone and sell the land which is currently used by a children's disability service, a crisis housing shelter and a local youth hub.The sites are among more than 20 properties it hopes to sell in a bid to raise money and stave off a potential rate rise for residents.The affected groups include the Ulladulla-based children's disability service Noah's Inclusion Services.CEO of Noah's Inclusion Services Alice Lans addressing Shoalhaven City Council on Tuesday evening. (ABC Illawarra: Charles Rushforth )Addressing a public forum before a council meeting yesterday, Noah's CEO Alice Lans said she only became aware of the proposal when council business papers were released late last week."To receive this news at 5pm on Thursday was an unexpected and devastating blow," she said."Once a community asset like this is lost it cannot easily be replaced."Community land for saleThe Nowra Youth Centre and crisis homeless accommodation service Safe Shelter Shoalhaven operate on land currently classified for community use. The council hopes to rezone the properties as part of the sale plan.Safe Shelter Shoalhaven has capacity for 12 people experiencing homelessness and includes a community garden. (Supplied: Salt Care)Safe Shelter Shoalhaven offers emergency overnight accommodation in Nowra for people experiencing homelessness, accommodating around 4,000 people a year.The 12-bedroom shelter run by Salt Care is the only service of its kind in a town where more than 900 people are currently on waitlists for social housing.CEO Peter Dover said he was fielding about 10 phone calls a day from concerned clients, employees and community members since the motion was announced last week."The community are saying, 'what's going on?'" he said.Mr Dover said he was advised about the potential sale two months ago and received assurances from the council about assistance to relocate.He said planning for a new shelter had not started."Planning needs to start now if there's going to be a new venue because it takes a long time to get things up and running," Mr Dover said."We need to assure the community that there is a plan and there is a way forward and that the homeless people of the Shoalhaven haven't been forgotten."Andrew Constance apologisesMayor Patricia White introduced the land sale motion to councillors at a general meeting on Tuesday evening, describing it as a necessary measure to stave off an extraordinary rate rise."As far as I'm concerned the homeless services are a state issue," she said."We get no support, no subsidies from the state or federal government in helping us maintain these facilities."When they fall down because we can't go and fix them what are we going to do?"Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Patricia White and CEO Andrew Constance. (ABC Illawarra: Charles Rushforth)Questions about the size and complexity of the motion by councillors prompted CEO Andrew Constance to apologise, acknowledging local not-for-profits had not been consulted about the plan."I want to publicly apologise to Noah's," Mr Constance said.Mr Constance promised the council would honour any existing leases and work to find replacement facilities in the future."We have to ensure that we work closely with our tenants to now go and do the necessary consultation … and work to provide better premises," he said.The Nowra Youth Centre is one of several parcels of community land the council is planning to sell. (ABC Illawarra: Charles Rushforth)Speaking in favour of the motion, Deputy Mayor Peter Wilkins said the land sale was a necessary evil."We live in difficult times and the council is affected, we have to share the pain," he said."And sharing that pain means land sales."Councillor Gemma Tribe refuted that argument."The pain is being unfairly shared by the most vulnerable in our community," she said."Any money you hope to recoup from this will be lost in helping services to relocate."Is that really what you want your legacy to be? Displacing community groups from community land and doing a fire sale of community assets?"South Coast MP Liza Butler outside the Shoalhaven City Council meeting chambers. (ABC Illawarra: Charles Rushforth)Speaking after the meeting, South Coast Labor MP Liza Butler called on the community to oppose the plan."They've put forward a plan for [the sale of] a car park in Berry to be deferred, but not for these vital community services," she said."I hope the community really tells the council how they feel about this, because those services are vital."