Tenants oppose social housing redevelopment advocates say is vital

Wayne Morris says he does not plan to leave his Bellambi home, where he has lived for more than a decade. (ABC Illawarra: Penny Burfitt)

Tenants push back against a plan to replace a Bellambi housing estate with a 2,500-unit development.

The development would increase social housing stock from 435 to at least 750.

Homeless services say it is badly needed due to "unprecedented" levels of homelessness in the city.

Wayne Morris's three-bedroom social housing terrace in Wollongong has a million-dollar view.

Walk out of his back door, down a short concrete path and out the gate, and you will find yourself overlooking Bellambi Beach.

Mr Morris takes pride in the house he has carefully maintained for 12 years. It was full of family photos, luscious indoor plants, Rabbitohs merch and a very chatty parrot.

Under a rezoning confirmed last week, his home and those of his neighbours in the Bellambi Estate would be replaced with thousands of new units in the next 15 to 20 years.

Mr Morris says he is concerned the redevelopment will tear the community apart. (ABC Illawarra: Penny Burfitt)

The redevelopment would replace 465 townhouses and villas in the estate, 435 of them social housing, with up to 2,500 apartments and terraces — at least 750 of them social housing.

While the overall number of social houses in the estate would increase, the proportion would decrease from around 90 per cent today to a minimum of 30 per cent of the new build.

"Everyday Australians without wealth are being penalised so they can give all the rich people million-dollar views [which] we're not entitled to," he said.

Bellambi is currently made up of 465 homes, 435 of them social housing. (ABC Illawarra: Justin Huntsdale)

The state government would replace two-storey townhouses with units up to six storeys high. (Supplied: Homes NSW)

Homes NSW said planning for the redevelopment was underway and no final decision on the locations and sizes of the new homes has been made.

Mr Morris said he had no plans to comply if he was issued with an eviction order.

The government announcement was derailed by a resident who interjected with his objections. (ABC Illawarra)

NSW ministers Ryan Park and Paul Scully struggled to get through the announcement that the rezoning had been confirmed on the Bellambi foreshore last week, as irate residents heckled.

Chris McDougall walked down from his property, which backs onto the foreshore area, to voice his dissent.

"They wouldn't like to get picked up and moved for no reason."

Resident Chris McDougall interrupted the press conference to share his