Tamworth housing crisis: rural mayors concerned about housing availability but Tamworth Real Estate Association agents disagree

A lack of affordable homes and rental properties out bush was a hot button issue at the Country Mayors' Association conference, but not everyone is convinced the issue really exists.

Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) mayor Col Murray said an almost record 400 home builds have come through the planning department this year and it's still not enough.

"It's one of our most important problems, there's just no rental accommodation, if you want to move to town you would think twice about it because there's nowhere for people to live," he said.

"We've seen four industrial land subdivision releases ... when you clock forward what does that look like; a housing crisis and employment crisis in another four years' time.

"We have a serious problem and it's a great problem to have, it's growing pains."

But, not everyone agrees the problem is as clear-cut.

Tamworth Real Estate Association (TREA) chair Sam Spokes said there are rentals out there, but some applicants are better suited to scarce social housing.

"We're trying to sit down with [Tamworth MP] Kevin Anderson and other housing groups because we believe there's not so much a rental housing crisis as there is a social housing crisis," he said.

"That's where there's a lot of confusion, people are getting knocked back 20 or so times from rental properties because the amount of money they are making or previous issues don't make landlords comfortable."

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Mr Spokes said the majority of new builds are by people who want to live in them, and TREA member Margo Taggart agreed.

"As far as land development the council doesn't make it easier for people to develop on blocks of land," she said.

"When it comes to building and land costs if the rent return isn't in it, investors aren't going to build."

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