Independent candidate Sarah Mitchell has released a detailed housing affordability policy, including planning reform, stronger renter protections, and a community land trust pilot for Bayside.
<p>Independent candidate Sarah Mitchell has released her Housing Affordability Policy — the first detailed policy document of her campaign for the seat of Bayside.</p><p>The policy includes three key planks: planning reforms to encourage more diverse, genuinely affordable housing; stronger protections for renters including longer notice periods and limits on rent increases; and a proposed community land trust pilot that would see surplus government land used to provide permanently affordable homes for key workers and low-income families.</p><p>"Bayside used to be a place where teachers, nurses, and tradies could afford to live near where they worked," said Sarah. "That's no longer the case, and it's making our community worse — not just for those who are being pushed out, but for everyone."</p><p>Sarah said the policy had been developed in consultation with housing researchers, community housing organisations, and local residents through her ongoing listening tour. "This isn't a policy cooked up in a back room — it's been shaped by the people who understand the problem best."</p><p>The full policy document is available for download on Sarah's website. A community Q&A session on housing will be held at Sandringham Library on 14 August.</p>