A lack of housing is an "exciting problem" common across regional NSW.
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"I'd much rather that problem than the opposite problem, which would be everyone leaving the regional city, that's not happening," Regional Cities NSW chair Mathew Dickerson said while visiting Albury on Wednesday, March 6.
"People in Sydney are discovering that there are better places to live and better places in regional locations, we want to have enough housing to make sure we can accommodate those people."
Cr Dickerson, also Dubbo mayor, joined mayors, including Tamworth Regional Council mayor Russell Webb, and chief executives from 15 municipalities in the Regional Cities NSW site visit to Albury and Wagga.
After presentations at Albury Entertainment Centre, the group toured Murray Art Museum Albury, Albury Waste Management Centre, the riverside precinct and Lavington Sports Ground.
Cr Dickerson and Albury mayor Kylie King agreed it was important for councils to learn from each other and share how they approached similar challenges.
"We're all trying to say the same thing," Cr King said.
"We really need local solutions and to collaborate with our communities, this state or federal approach for one size fits all to do with housing, we don't feel is the right way to go."
Cr Dickerson said Regional Cities NSW focused on promoting regional areas as a whole.
"Sometimes the real battle is not between regional cities, it's about battling city and city-centric focus to get it out to regional areas," he said.
Griffith is the third Riverina representative on Regional Cities NSW, with the other councils including Armidale, Bathurst, Broken Hill, Coffs Harbour, Goulburn Mulwaree, Lismore, Maitland, Orange, Queanbeyan Palerang, Tamworth and Tweed Shire.
With people now used to great regional precincts, sport and culture, the community expected more from their council, Cr Dickerson said, noting this was a comment, not a criticism.
"There isn't enough money to do what we want to do, being able to deliver all the services," he said.
"Trying to get enough income to deliver what the community wants, what the community needs, is our number one challenge."
Cr King said: "We are all doing our own individual collaborations and ideas, there is no easy fix as we know."
The Regional Cities NSW members visited Wagga on Thursday, March 7.
