Darebin Appropriate Development Association

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Darebin Appropriate Development Association Charter (November, 2022)   Since 2005 Darebin Appropriate Development Association DADA, is a group of residents of Darebin concerned with inappropriate development. DADA represents and provides assistance to residents who might feel unheard and powerless when development is happening near them. DADA acts to preserve the nature and character of our welcoming community and influence planning at all levels of government to ensure appropriate … Read More.. about About DADA

Toward Solving the Housing Crisis: The DADA Approach

Too many experts and politicians offer simplistic solutions to the housing crisis, mostly framed by their own specific interests.

DADA has no interest other than a very genuine need to see every person in safe, affordable well designed housing that develops supportive, diverse and sustainable communities.

DADA believes a multi pronged strategy is needed and should include, but is not limited to, the following ideas:

  1. Removal of negative gearing concession on more than one investment property. According to Crikey, 63% of federal politicians own more than one property and 37% own three or more.
  2. Outlaw money laundering through real estate by implementing tranche 2 reforms so that lawyers, accountants and real estate professionals need to actually know their customers identity and where their money actually comes from.

https://www.austrac.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-07/sa-brief-real-estate_0.pdf

https://www.corrs.com.au/insights/aml-and-ctf-gatekeeper-reform-what-could-tranche-2-reforms-look-like-in-australia

  1. Place restrictions on the short term rental market specifically on the rental of whole houses and apartments. Spain and other countries have done this to alleviate the housing shortage.
  2. Institute significant fines for those who landbank empty properties. Ensure all fines go to the public housing building fund.
  3. Stop giving public land to developers for a measly 10% increase in public housing. Public assets should never be sold or worse, given to private operators.
  4. Build more public housing targeted specifically to those at highest risk of homelessness for example, women over 55, youth, those with disabilities, new migrants.
  5. Fix rents to alleviate rental stress as a cause of homelessness.
  6. Improve planning laws to include affirmative requirements for the type of housing needed to best address the needs of those at risk and the community generally.
  7. Improve planning laws to ensure good quality housing for all.
  8. Reinstate qualified government building inspectors and building surveyors to ensure better quality and safer homes.
  9. Implement an emergency rental fund drawing funds from taxing short term rentals.

(Photo: Migrant Mother:Florence Owens Thompson by Dorothea Lange/Library of Congress)

2023 Australian Livability Survey

 

The link below is to a survey on the livability of you neighbourhood.  See how it scores against the average.

https://survey.placescore.org/s3/lc23-fb-sm?campaign=Melbourne&fbclid=IwAR3fESu2px3CJm-pDr8DRScylNkyisK5W1yNYLnGblAtlHzl2XLUMKfEZn8_aem_th_ARLwgeDWREBfPPU0cyhAd0EwBPZ7bdgUngLVfe9ZGa3aYxrXkIUMS2cUHsWEv9GkZixlbCqHpZVQi-cZuZiUiJ9X

Preston Market Update: Threats to Close

The owner of the majority of the market last week threatened to close the market: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/preston-market-owners-threaten-to-shut-it-down-over-planning-war-20230529-p5dc6d.html

This is an about face. There are many articles in the press, one example below, where a variety of representatives of Salta Properties, including Sam Tarascio have promised the market would not be closed.  We cannot trust this man who has no regard for the market or the community.  The market can only be saved by acquisition and  placing it in public hands, managed by a community representative committee.

A Short Political History of the Community Fight to Save Preston Market

In the 9 years to date, community groups, including Darebin Ratepayers, Darebin Progress Association and DADA, have combined to prevent the owner/developer from destroying Preston Market.

From that early time, the community campaign evolved in its membership and connections to advocate with various State Government departments, Darebin Council, politicians and political parties and Councillors.

The “People for Preston Market” was launched in July 2014 as an election issue for the Greens candidates in the Darebin Council election, although no Greens Councillor has ever been actively involved in the community fight.

In 2016, the baton was handed to “Save Our Preston Market” and saw the battle lines drawn between Greens, Labor and Independent candidates to use the community campaign for their political advantage in the Council election of that year.

The well attended rally in May of that year saw many candidates turn out for the photo op.  For the first time, the Vic Socialists were represented by the City of Yarra Councillor Steven Jolly who orated on the corner of Murray Rd and Mary St.

SOPM continued to drive the community effort with DADA through VCAT mediation and a 7 day VCAT hearing in 2017.

SOPM was effectively dissolved by the time DADA made an application to Heritage Vic. for Preston Market to be listed on the State Heritage Register in 2018. The community effort was essentially driven by DADA and a single Darebin Councillor.

“Save The Preston Market Coalition” was convened in 2020 by a Darebin Councillor with a SOPM Facebook administrator and DADA reps.  It was a small group which then morphed into “Save the Preston Market Action Group” in 2021 and chiefly consisted of an independent Darebin Councillor, members of the Victorian Socialists and DADA reps along with concerned community members.

In the course of ongoing change, community members with political aspirations have joined and tried to influence or control our work, while we have strived to remain true to our charter. https://www.darebinada.org/about-dada

DADA is not aligned with any political group or politician and is dedicated to our community with the view to making our neighbourhoods a better place to live.