COMMERCIAL tenants of Lake Macquarie council-owned properties could have up to six months rent waived if their business has been decimated by the coronavirus outbreak and resulting government restrictions.
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The rent relief is one of multiple assistance initiatives the council will consider and vote on at extraordinary meeting on Tuesday night.
Council staff have proposed a scaled relief program for commercial tenants, based on need, ranging from zero to 100 per cent relief for a period of up to six months commencing from April 1.
Tenants of council's residential properties would also be offered 50 per cent rent relief for up to six months if they have been impacted but only if they are ineligible for the JobKeeper payment or similar welfare programs.
The rent relief initiatives would need to be exhibited for 28 days before being officially endorsed with backdated implementation.
"The recommended program has been designed to direct the greatest relief where the greatest disadvantage has been experienced by businesses and residents within council's property portfolio," a report prepared for the meeting says.
The relief scheme would cost the council $927,000 in lost revenue.
Staff have also proposed extending council's Financial Hardship Assistance Policy to owners of businesses and rental properties. The policy, which outlines assistance options for rate payments, currently applies to owner-occupiers of residential properties only.
Another proposed initiative set to be considered at the meeting is waiving rent for community organisations leasing council-owned land and/or buildings for six months from April 1.
The organisations, both non and for-profit, must have been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions implemented by the federal and state governments to be eligible.
The report notes 85 community and recreation organisations lease facilities across the city, including community halls, neighbourhood centres, pre-school and child-care centres, Meals on Wheels, Scouts and Girl Guides, Men's Sheds and surf-life saving clubs.
Most community facilities have been shutdown, although some organisations continue to operate.
Waiving rent for lessees of community facilities would close the council $183,568 in revenue over the six months.
Under another initiative, Lake Macquarie council staff impacted by facility closures could be redeployed to work alongside or within not-for-profit organisations delivering critical community services to vulnerable people in Lake Macquarie.
They could be redeployed for up to three months from April 15, a period that could be extended by one month by the council CEO on no more than three occasions.
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