Sarina Afa was surprised when she was nominated for Newtown Woman of the Year. Though humbled by the recognition of her decades of organising for housing justice, she won’t be diverted from the issue she is most concerned about — advocating for good housing outcomes for people impacted by redevelopment in Redfern and Waterloo.
She knows what it means to experience housing stress. For years, she lived in a bedsit at the back of a shop in the heart of Newtown. Her life changed when she secured a single-level home in Eveleigh thirty years ago.
Today, 46 diverse households make up this safe and inclusive inner-city community. It’s no surprise then that she has been leading the charge to protect her home and community from demolition.
Sarina’s community leadership is building social capital. Demolish homes, and you risk demolishing that social capital that has the potential to keep giving back for decades to come, she says.
Sarina knows that she and her neighbours are not alone, but trying to protect public housing in the context of a severe housing shortage is no easy task. It is also difficult to argue against the high-rise affordable housing public policy.
If it’s just about numbers, demolishing 46 houses to reclaim land and replace with high-rise adds up. But we aren’t just counting houses. These 46 homes make up a community. It’s impossible to comprehend demolition if you count community well-being and cohesion, as well as its long-term economic impact.
The end game for Sarina is a recognition that high-rise isn’t the only option. She believes that affordable housing comes in different shapes and sizes and government should be focused on building communities — not just housing.
Congratulations and thank you Sarina.