Mount Alexander’s committed community of housing advocates met recently for an AGM at Shedshaker brewery. The aim was to elect a new board for the Mt Alexander Community Land Limited.
After a debrief from past chairman Doug Falconer, the new board consists of Delphine Laboureau-Ormancey, Karl Fitzgerald John Shone and Timothy Hurley.
Spokesperson Karl Fitzgerald said ‘we are committed to maintaining the valuable legal infrastructure behind MACCL and to continue the legacy of Grace McCaughey and retiring Chairman Doug Falconer and secretary Jacqueline Brodie-Hanns. We look forward to building momentum towards perpetually affordable housing that is community led. A Community Land Trust acts to steward land over generations to ensure that multiple homeowners can benefit from public subsidy.
‘We call upon the land holders of Castlemaine to consider the higher purpose of long term affordable housing. Do you have surplus land available with residential zoning? Could you leave a lasting legacy for future generations? Please get in touch via info@macll.org.au.
MACLL is looking for two acre sites with residential zoning in Castlemaine and surrounding towns. Ideally it will be located near community services.
‘However, at this point in the housing crisis, we’d be willing to accept land in any form as long as council can assist us to meet the urgent housing requirements of those living in a precarious situation. We hope in time to demonstrate that communities can redirect their housing payments away from banks and towards their community so more affordable housing can be funded.
Once land and housing enters the community land trust it never leaves. Public subsidy is retained and becomes scalable. This is contrary to most government home buyer schemes which only compound the problems by keeping the treadmill running, rather than slowing it down.
We look forward to a future where housing is prioritised as a right to shelter instead of an investor’s privilege. Let’s help more community members feel like they have a place to call home – one where they can connect with other community members to make life easier,’ said Fitzgerald.