In a controversial practice that has sparked outrage across Sydney, residents of affordable housing units within Barangaroo's prestigious waterfront development are being forced to use separate, inferior entrances – while their wealthy neighbours enjoy grand, main-door access.
The Back-Door Reality
An exclusive Guardian investigation has uncovered that tenants in the 'affordable' component of the One Sydney Harbour development must navigate a starkly different experience from their luxury apartment counterparts. Rather than sharing the opulent main entrances, these residents are directed to use discreet back entrances, creating what critics are calling a modern-day class segregation system.
Separate and Unequal Access
The segregation extends beyond mere entrance locations. Affordable housing tenants report:
- Having to use service lifts separate from main residential elevators
- Limited access to premium building amenities enjoyed by other residents
- Navigating less secure and poorly signposted entry points
- Feeling stigmatised and treated as second-class citizens
Developer Defences and Public Outcry
Property developers and building managers defend the practice as a necessary operational requirement, citing security and management efficiency. However, housing advocates and community groups have condemned the arrangement as discriminatory and socially divisive.
"This is architectural segregation at its most blatant," stated one housing rights campaigner. "We're creating vertical gated communities where your financial status determines which door you're allowed to use."
The Bigger Picture
The Barangaroo case highlights a growing trend in mixed-development projects worldwide, where the integration of affordable housing comes with invisible – but very real – barriers. While developers meet their social obligations by including affordable units, the physical separation undermines the spirit of inclusive community building.
Local politicians have called for urgent reviews of planning regulations to prevent such practices, while residents of the affordable units continue to navigate the daily reminder of their second-tier status in one of Sydney's most exclusive addresses.
