David Borger

Shelter NSW We’re pleased that government has followed through with the pledge to announce TOD density housing policy in April… the proof of this particular ‘planning pudding’ however will be in the difference it makes to people and places - Affordable rental housing delivered for lowest income workers that keep the city vibrant and vital. We’re looking forward to 2% increasing of the additional uplift being delivered as Affordable housing … not an aspiration or target, but a firm, mandated, legal requirement …. A real (albeit modest) starting point, by no means the finish line, but the journey to recognising “housing as essential infrastructure” begins with this type of policy becoming law. We’re looking forward to bolder and braver policy leaps and bounds that build on these initial steps …onwards we go..

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Proposition: As a society, Australia should not tolerate a persistent and significant shortfall in housing supply. High-level proposal: Federal, state, and local councils should revisit their housing policies to ensure that 1) they enable as much supply as possible and 2) they protect vulnerable people from the harmful effects of a shortage. In terms of #2, perhaps the most effective short run response is to boost Commonwealth Rent Assistance and other income support measures (along the lines of proposals from Grattan Institute), such that we buy time for supply-side policies to work in the medium to long run.

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Great insights from Liam RE: externalities and market forces may potentially distort intended housing use and we need to be mindful of not only chasing housing targets, but to ensure the houses built are for those who need them the most.

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This morning, there was an engaging discussion at the Property Council of Australia Queensland breakfast about the growth of Brisbane and the SEQ region. Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, referred to the international positioning of Brisbane and SEQ region, as well as the challenges in delivering more housing to the market for the growing population expected to call Brisbane home by 2046. The 2032 Games clearly presents a lot of opportunities but also lots of challenges and it was nice to hear the Mayor answer my question with the reference to how Paris is currently dealing with the local homeless population ahead of the July 2024 Games, where they are busing homeless groups out of the city to temporary centres in the regions. Essentially, we’ve got eight years to ensure we do not have that situation here in Brisbane in 2032. Also some welcome announcements around the apartment sector in key locations and what council might be looking to do with car parking rates which is something the property sector and other partners like community housing have been calling for. The changes to the parking structure already exit in the CBD, but is being proposed to be extended to key locations where there will be need for medium and high density in the future. Not only can it bring down the cost of some of those developments, but it also responds to the issue of cars on the roads and congestion, given the locations proposed and the proximity to transport systems and services. We know the apartment sector has dried up so it’s a welcome addition to the policy suite to help drive that market that we need to do much of the heavy lifting with the #SEQRegionalPlan and future housing targets. Well done to Jess and the PCA Qld team for a thoughtful discussion. #housing #supply #growth #2032Games

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Maybe a good 1st step for Local Governments across Australia is to demonstrate "Social Responsibility" in dealing with surplus land sold off suitable for residential use. As a proven "Placemaker" in my previous major urban projects, I have consistently set aside between 30% to 50% for "affordable housing" with no mandatory requirements, driven by my initiative and sense of "social responsibility" in my previous major urban projects won at either State or Local Government tenders. There are numerous ways Local Governments can assist in solving Australia's challenges regarding the lack of affordable rental accommodation and dwellings for sale. Firstly, emulating the Mayor of London's requirements on surplus London Council land sold for residential use could yield over 30,000 affordable dwellings in London; the Mayor of London's requirements are up to 50% of all London Council surplus land sold off suitable for residential use must be set aside for affordable housing. Secondly, urgently rezoning areas around Metropolitan tram stops and Railway stations for "inclusive" quality mid-rise apartments could optimize billions of dollars of public-funded infrastructure. Lastly, repurposing thousands of older B, C and D-grade office buildings for affordable rental accommodation in cities across Australia, especially Capital Cities, could be facilitated by providing incentives like "additional air rights" potential, "extensive rate concessions", and "flexibility in building codes"—areas where incentives are currently lacking.. #LocalGovernment #housingcrisis #advancedmodular #sustainability #CLT #ThriveAlliance #AffordableHousing #Harropfactor #Placemaker #SocialResponsibility #Inclusiveness #residentialgrade #midrise #townhouses #fasttomarket

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NSW Housing Agencies, Homes NSW and Landcom will receive faster approvals for new social and affordable housing developments under a state-led rezoning pathway, which was announced today. The NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure will accelerate strategically important rezonings to deliver social and affordable housing, with the process managed by a dedicated delivery team. Minister Paul Scully highlighted: “All applications using this pathway will still need to meet eligibility criteria including their alignment to the State and Commonwealth housing commitments.” Minster Rose Jackson said: "This is another important step in rebuilding the housing system in NSW. We need to expedite the delivery of more social and affordable homes and not have applications held up in unwieldy and complicated planning rules that don’t deliver homes for people in need.” Support for Community Housing Providers to remove barriers in the planning system will be provided through a pilot Community Housing Concierge Program, soon to go live with 20 CHPs participating. Anticipating the success of the new rezoning pathway and the concierge pilot, we'd like to see streamlined planning processes and support extended to all Community Housing Providers as they work with governments to rapidly increase the supply of new social and affordable housing. #buildsocialhousing #affordablehousing #housingcrisis

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Affordable housing is way beyond the crisis, and such a position is needed to assist in solving Sydney's worst shortfall and find a scalable solution and new thinking. An overarching position is required to steer outcomes of its execution that counts. As a proven "Placemaker", I have emphasised social responsibility in all my previous major urban projects, setting aside between 30% and 50% of the project for affordable housing, with no mandatory requirements, just through a sense of social responsibility. "Speed to market "is the market opportunity for CLT advanced modular construction. The Thrive Alliance has over 100,000 major CLT urban projects worldwide. Our "Thrive Alliance" Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) in Australia and Internationally is made from renewable plantation forest trees. #ThriveAlliance #scalabilty #fasttomarket

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Sydney Times Media | For Victoria’s most vulnerable, IMBY [In My Back Yard] modular homes are already playing a key role in housing affordability with Haven Home Safe delivering a modular housing program across regional Victoria, which will be tenanted from October. https://lnkd.in/gNqjYMeF Affordable housing provider Haven Home Safe to provide 25 IMBY homes in Victoria. IMBY - A more apt description of the traditional ‘granny flat’. Haven Home Safe CEO Trudi Ray (GAICD, JP, MBA, SPAHIc) says through its partnership with ARKit - Advanced Prefabricated Architecture – Advanced Prefabricated Architecture – and Homes Victoria, Haven Home Safe will provide 25 new homes for people on the Victorian Housing Register IMBY modular homes are a practical and cost effective solution for the housing and homelessness crisis. ‘The ability for modular homes to provide diversified housing options is a big plus, when considering the majority of social and affordable housing renters are looking for smaller one-to-two-bedroom homes. Smaller homes also mean reduced energy expenditure for renters… Additionally, with the Victorian Housing Statement allowing small second homes to be built on existing properties, we have identified 55 sites that we already own where we could add a modular home. This would significantly and swiftly increase affordable housing supply. We are currently fundraising to deliver a pilot IMBY so we can demonstrate the success of this approach and work with the CHP sector to drive new housing outcomes and innovate supply. If the sector recognises modular IMBYs as a valued housing class within the continuum, we can increase stock and infill at a lower cost and with speed….’ Trudi Ray (GAICD, JP, MBA, SPAHIc) And… The Wall Street Journal report on ADUs | IMBYs… https://lnkd.in/geKAuefQ ‘Recent Californian zoning reforms, legalize, missing middle housing, such as duplexes, triplexes, and accessory dwelling units or [ADUs], or granny flats. Once California required cities to make it easier to build ADUs, Los Angeles saw an explosion of backyard and garage units. In 2022, the city issued 7,160 ADU permits compared with just 1,287 permits for single-family homes…’ The Wall Street Journal June 24 - 25, 2023 #IMBY #ADU #SDGs #HybridWorkplace #WFH #WFA #WalkableUrbanism #20MinuteNeighbourhoods #TimelessUrbanism

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This Australian report presents findings from the ARC Linkage Project 'Articulating Value in Housing Co-operatives' with the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance. It includes data on affordable rental housing co-operatives in four Australian states, highlights the benefits of co-operativism, and suggests recommendations for thriving co-operatives and opportunities for future research. #coops https://ow.ly/NWwB50R511Y

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Today marks the beginning of the first stage of the NSW Government’s Low and Mid Rise Reforms. These changes coincide with the beginning of the National Housing Accord and will support the delivery of dual occupancy and semi-detached dwellings on low-rise residential land across NSW. Providing greater housing choice means that more families looking for additional space, and multi-generational families will have more housing options. This will help stop a generation of young people being forced to leave NSW. Those looking to downsize, but stay in the communities they love, will also have additional choices as a result of these reforms. https://lnkd.in/gPvbP3qK

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As the housing crisis in Australia continues to intensify, the build-to-rent (BTR) sector has been identified as a housing option that may relieve the rental market. With BTR set to become the most significant asset class in new property development by 2030, this growing sector offers an exciting opportunity to redefine the rental lifestyle as we know it. At the forefront of this transformation are two key principles: community-centric design and sustainable living.

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Brisbane City Council has proposed to remove minimum parking requirements for some land uses (apartments) in a small number of inner-city locations. In my view, the direction of change is good but the extent of change is far too limited. The evidence is in and the evidence is clear: We can and should remove minimum parking requirements everywhere. That's why I'd encourage Brisbane City Council to go much, much further and remove minimum parking requirements everywhere for all land uses -- just like has happened in New Zealand.

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The announcement of a new authority in NSW marks a significant shift in the approach to major residential development, aiming to tackle the chronic housing crisis. This authority, led by key figures including Premier’s Department Secretary Simon Draper, Planning Secretary Kiersten Fishburn, and Infrastructure NSW CEO Tom Gellibrand, will have the power to expedite approval processes for major projects, bypassing traditional hurdles like council involvement. The streamlined process is expected to reduce approval/rezoning times significantly. It covers proposals worth over $60 million in Sydney and $30 million in regional areas. NSW Premier Chris Minns unveiled this initiative during The Daily Telegraph’s Bradfield Oration, emphasizing the need for a more efficient system to address the housing shortage. The authority's ability to cut through layers of red tape and provide a direct route for developers to seek approval/rezoning is crucial to addressing the affordable housing crisis. In parallel, the introduction of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) as a sustainable construction material presents a promising solution to the housing challenges. With the potential to deliver thousands of residential apartments annually, CLT offers a faster, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional construction methods. Our Thrive Alliance scalability and reduced construction time and waste make it a viable option for projects targeting various demographics, including Baby Boomers, Essential Workers, and social housing beneficiaries. The introduction of a new planning pathway for selected projects, combined with the innovative use of CLT, demonstrates a proactive approach to addressing the housing crisis in NSW. The focus on sustainability, efficiency, and speed to market aligns with the urgent need for solutions that can deliver housing on a large scale. This integrated strategy promises to transform the housing landscape and meet the diverse needs of communities across NSW and Australia. Our "Thrive Alliance" Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) in Australia and Internationally is made from renewable plantation forest trees. CLT=stored carbon capacity is up to 40,000 inclusive “residential grade” inclusive midrise apartments per year, targeting the “Baby Boomers” and "Essential Workers " including social housing on a scale (including disability workers) across Australia, including Regional Australia, built in up to 75% less time than current custom construction methods, in excellent designs, detailing and finishes with almost zero waste of valuable building materials, with up to 65% less skilled workforce on site. This capability was presented to various NSW departments last year in an all-day capacity presentation sponsored by Business NSW. "Speed to market "is the market opportunity for CLT advanced modular construction. #fast_track #Fast_to_Market #sustainable #advancedmodular #CLT #HarropFactor #ThriveAlliance

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The NSW Budget aligns with latest US research on the housing crisis not being a supply, but an affordability crisis. The NSW Government is committed to addressing the housing crisis with a bold initiative to deliver up to 30,000 new homes through the Building Homes for NSW program, including 8,400 social homes, with priority for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence and 500+ new rental homes for key workers, ensuring they can live in the communities they support. Recent research from the University of Kansas sheds light on the US housing market, revealing a different but equally critical issue. Contrary to a common belief, there is no overall shortage of housing units in the US. However, there's a severe lack of affordable housing for low-income renters. Key findings include of the study are that from 2000 to 2020, housing production exceeded household growth by 3.3 million units. Yet almost all metropolitan areas face a shortage of affordable units for the lowest-income renters. The authors argue that addressing the housing crisis should focus on making housing affordable, rather than merely increasing supply. They emphasise that helping people afford existing homes would be more cost-effective than expanding new construction to lower prices. This comparison highlights the importance of targeted housing policies. While the NSW Government focuses on increasing supply to meet various housing needs, the USA research suggests that affordability is the critical issue to address. https://lnkd.in/e432vUV3

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With the critical shortage of housing across the nation, the Australian Government has released a series of development initiatives to expedite affordable and social housing developments, including the Affordable Housing Aggregator Bond (AHAB). AHAB is an interest only, fixed rate government loan for a minimum value of $5 million intended to encourage development in the sector. To be eligible for the AHAB, developers must be linked with a Community Housing Provider but unlike their other funding initiatives, there is no timeline or closing date for submissions with AHAB. This means developers have time to plan new social and affordable housing projects and still apply for the loan, which can be used for a range of purposes, including: ·        Purchasing or constructing new housing ·        Maintain existing housing supply ·        Refinancing to an interest only loan ·        Buying land ·        Remediating land (i.e. fixing contaminated soil) ·        Transaction costs (i.e. stamp duty) ·        Design and professional fees ·        Construction costs ·        Capitalised interest. Interested in learning more? Contact us today or read our blog for more information on accessing a different source of funding for your affordable or social housing project.   #AffordableHousing #SocialHousing #PropertyDevelopment #PropertyDeveloper #HousingSupply https://lnkd.in/gk9ffKT8

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Join our experts at Infrastructure Victoria’s upcoming webinar, ‘Medium-density housing: what does good look like and how do we make it affordable?’. Affordable medium-density housing is needed for Victoria to shift housing growth from the outer suburbs of Melbourne and regional cities to more established areas closer to existing infrastructure. We have explored this issue in several research reports including ‘Our home choices’, ‘Choosing Victoria’s future’ and ‘Density done well’. At this webinar we will explore topics, such as, do people want medium-density housing, can housing targets improve choice, do design standards need to change and the key factors affecting affordability. Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/gv_jahv7  Dr Allison Stewart Patrick Fensham Michaela Lihou Andrew Maynard

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Housing Now! urges the NSW Government to reconsider its current stance on affordable housing within the proposed Transport-Oriented Developments (TODs). The proposed 2% minimum requirement falls significantly short of addressing the urgent need for affordable housing across the state. As urban areas expand and the demand for convenient, accessible housing near transport hubs increases, it is crucial that government policies evolve to meet all types of housing needs, particularly for essential workers. The current proposed targets of 2% will not be sufficient to ensure healthcare workers, retail workers and other essential workers can afford to live in all parts of our city. Housing Now! calls for three immediate changes to the TOD policy: -         Lift the percentage of affordable housing required in TOD locations to 5%. -         Publish a clear schedule of how the affordable housing percentage will increase over time. -         Initiate consultation with the development and community housing sectors to understand their feasibility and delivery models – with the aim of increasing the amount of affordable housing that can be achieved. Higher affordable housing targets in TODs lead to more equitable communities, reduced commute times, and lower environmental impacts. Such proactive measures will not only provide immediate relief to many struggling to find affordable housing but also promote long-term economic and social benefits. Housing Now! stands with community leaders, urban planners, and all those who support a more ambitious approach to affordable housing. We call on the NSW Government to show strong leadership and commitment by revisiting and increasing the affordable housing requirement in TODs to reflect the urgency of this once in a generation housing crisis. Chris Minns Paul Scully

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