Member for Davidson, Jonathan O'Dea is encouraging everyone who owns, lives in or is involved in the management of a strata or community scheme to have their say on strata and community laws during a three month online consultation project hosted by public policy think tank Global Access Partners (GAP).
Mr O'Dea welcomed the GAP initiative, which will provide a valuable source of information for the Government's planned review of strata and community title laws in 2012.
“There is a general view in the community, and one accepted by the government, that the current strata laws need to be reformed to more effectively meet the diverse needs of today’s owners and residents,” he said.
“These laws were designed primarily for small, self-managed blocks of flats. However, today’s strata and community schemes now include city high rises, townhouses, dual occupancies, offices, retirement villages and mixed-use, recreational and tourism-focused developments.”
Mr O'Dea said the world’s first strata title law commenced in NSW on 1 July 1961 and since then, strata has developed into the fastest growing form of residential property ownership.
“More than two million people now live in over 70,000 strata and 1,500 community schemes in NSW and within 20 years, half the state’s population is expected to be living in strata and community schemes,” he said.
“The current strata laws no longer effectively support owners in the day to day management of their scheme or adequately address issues such as how common property is defined, the accountability of executive committees, short term rentals and overcrowding and enforcement of by-laws on parking and noise.
“The GAP consultation will give all strata and community scheme stakeholders an opportunity to share their experiences, raise specific issues or concerns and suggest possible solutions.
“These issues can be quite complex and the government is keen to hear from all strata and community scheme owners and residents and anyone else affected by the laws,” Mr O'Dea said.
The online consultation period is now open and will run until 29 February 2012.
Comments can be made directly online through the GAP open forum website at www.openforum.com.au or by following the link from either the NSW Fair Trading website at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au or the Land and Property Information website at www.lpi.nsw.gov.au.
