CREATE Foundation’s Post

"There is an urgent shortage of affordable housing, resulting in overcrowding and growing levels of homelessness." Anna Clarke of The Housing Forum discusses the critical importance of housing in upcoming election manifestos in our latest blog. https://lnkd.in/dpZaqCvW

We're excited to share Abundant Housing Network Australia's submission to the Everybody’s Home led People's Commission to the Housing Crisis. Our submission covers three main areas: 1. Broad upzoning’s effect on social housing 2. Community consultation reform 3. Renter democratic deficit in local democracy 1 | UPZONING NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICENT • Broad upzoning is necessary but not sufficient for solving housing affordability. It lays the foundations for more supply of both market-rate and social housing. • Research from New Zealand highlights how upzoning help the state housing agencies build more homes on their existing land. • Social housing projects need to be protected from third-party appeals due to the abuse of these appeals by local NIMBYs. 2 | EXCLUSIONARY CONSULTATION • Community consultation processes are often unrepresentative, privileging voices of older homeowners over renters and young families. • A recent example of exclusionary consultation practices comes from Ku-Ring-Gai Council. Renters make up 20% of the local community—whilst they only made up 4% of the respondents. • We need to transition towards representative consultation methods to avoid bias. 3 | FEUDAL LOCAL DEMOCRACY • Small local councils reflect historic communities rather than current wider metropolitan landscapes. • This disenfranchises people wanting to move into an area from having a voice. • Homeowner-dominated councils often lead backlash against social housing projects. • We recommend amalgamating local councils into metropolitan-wide governments.

More council housing powers! 🏡🏠 Is this the silver bullet? Comment below 👇👇 Local councils are to be given more power to build much-needed affordable housing, thanks to the ability to purchase cheaper land. Cheaper costs for the purchase of housing will ensure that councils are able to easier transform communities, and begin to tackle the worsening homelessness crisis around the country. The importance of this move was explained by Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, who said: “Enabling local councils to buy cheaper land through Compulsory Purchase Orders without paying ‘hope value’ will allow them to build more of the desperately needed affordable homes the country needs, in the right places for the people who need it most.” https://lnkd.in/dFsMxdp7 Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Jacob Young MP National Housing Federation Kate Henderson #Housing #AffordableHousing #CouncilHousing #LocalGovernment #Homes #Homelessness

BC's Indigenous-led housing project is set to bring 1,600 affordable rental homes, both on and off reserves, to address the housing needs of Indigenous communities. This initiative is important because it directly addresses the housing crisis that disproportionately affects Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Indigenous people face significant barriers to securing safe, affordable housing, both on and off reserves. This project not only provides much-needed shelter but also promotes culturally supportive environments, which are essential for fostering healing, community, and resilience within these communities. Furthermore, it’s a major step toward reconciliation. By prioritizing Indigenous leadership and culturally sensitive housing, the government acknowledges and begins to rectify long-standing inequalities. The investment also underscores a broader commitment to improving the lives of Indigenous families, elders, and individuals with disabilities, ensuring they have access to housing that respects their cultural heritage and community needs. This type of development sets a precedent for how housing solutions can contribute to both social justice and economic stability, making it a model for future efforts in addressing housing needs within marginalized populations. #AffordableHousing #IndigenousHousing #Reconciliation #BCHousing https://lnkd.in/gUmU5jtH

"Addressing the shortfall in social and affordable housing dwellings would require an investment of around $290 billion over the next two decades. So, why haven’t we used this number to develop a long-term housing strategy that would create the essential housing infrastructure we need for a prosperous future Australia? Why are governments so averse to setting meaningful and ambitious goals like this?" Tasmania is the only state that is about to have a Housing Strategy that acknowledges the solution rests in addressing the entire housing continuum. Read more in this OpEd from Robert Pradolin GAICD in the Australian Property Journal. What do you think, with more change on the horizon, could Tasmania become Australia's Finland and end homelessness? https://hubs.ly/Q02lMmkF0 Ella Haddad, Nic Street, Jeremy Rockliff, Julie Collins, Guy Barnett MP, Hon Madeleine Ogilvie MP, Housing Choices Australia, Michael Lennon, Kim Bomford, Heather McCallum, Vica Bayley, Cassy O'Connor, Michelle O'Byrne, Rebecca White

While the Victorian Government gives $M in Taxpayers hard earned $ AND land to this sector to help those most in need, and they claim they build for all, then why are most of the homeless on C/L payments not able to land a home? This is due to each provider being a small BUSINESS that needs to earn $ to pay high wages (CEO's earn more than the prime minister) those on C/l payments pay the least in rent so the cost of maintaining a property is higher than the income , hence they take more of those working than not working. Until our governments keep investing in Public Housing where your income (to an extent) doesn't matter, then the homelessness and the waiting lists for housing will continue to rise. Look a tEngland where it started before here and they are now building Public Housing again due to this.

Data emerging this week from the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) show encouraging signs in delivering more affordable housing across the country, but there are concerns that Queensland is being left behind. Queensland Community Housing Providers (CHPs) were in bids for more than 4,000 much-needed social and affordable homes, but the state has been approved for only 1,315 in this first round. "This result doesn’t make much sense in the face of evident need and huge population growth. "Whilst Housing Australia will have considered various factors to determine outcomes for Round One of the HAFF, it’s hard not to think Queensland has fared poorly," said Q Shelter CEO, Fiona Caniglia. “At Q Shelter, we are committed to strengthening the role of CHPs in Queensland through a more enabling policy framework and operating model. "We are confident that this can be achieved by investing in a Community Housing Road Map to 2046 that aligns with state government population and housing targets. In the lead-up to next month's Queensland state election, Q Shelter calls on current and future Queensland Government decision-makers to continue recurrent funding for the Community Housing Futures program and partner with industry to develop a community housing industry roadmap to 2046. #CommunityHousing #HomeMatters #BetterTogether #HAFFRoundOne #HousingSupply #Queensland https://lnkd.in/gw4v3ZZg

There are significant affordable, social and supportive rental housing supply commitments in the QLD LNP housing platform taken to voters. The detailed policy and stakeholder engagement work undertaken by Q Shelter and partners has made an impact. Fiona Caniglia, Jackson Hills, and their colleagues deserve acknowledgement and recognition for working acrosss the partisan divide to make the case for planned investment. Securing a commitment to leverage 53,500 homes over the next 2 decades for Queenslanders currently at the mercy of a brutal rental market in which they struggle to compete or are completely priced out of is a great outcome that will transform lives for the better. Well resourced peak bodies can play a pivotal role to ease pressure on frontline workers and their clients. Systemic advocacy for a fairer housing system should be funded - not feared. Because home matters. #QLDvotes https://lnkd.in/gs4nU2SQ

While the City of Ottawa has committed to ongoing support for innovative approaches to ending homelessness, it's still not enough. Despite the best efforts of many, the needle continues to move in the wrong direction. The housing crisis was created over decades and is exacerbated by factors beyond municipal control. It is cheaper, smarter, and more compassionate to invest in making sure that everyone in our community has a home. At the joint Finance and Planning & Housing Committee this week, we shared the following key messages: 1️⃣ Providing stable predictable funding is key to encouraging steady growth. 2️⃣ Focusing on permanent affordable housing and the supports tenants need, even in the face of external factors beyond our control, shows a commitment to solutions. 3️⃣ The commitment to strong ongoing advocacy from the City of Ottawa to other orders of government is invaluable.  4️⃣ The City of Ottawa's commitment to exploring innovative new tools is most welcome.

In 22-23 Victoria spent 4.5 times more on social housing than it did in 2019-20. This is the kind of investment our state needs for the long term so people on low incomes are not left without a home to call their own. This #VicBudget we want to see the investment and initiatives that will help build enough secure, stable and affordable homes to keep up with demand. Read our Budget submission to find out what needs to happen to grow community housing now and into the future. 👉 https://loom.ly/5TAaesE Because everyone deserves a place to call home. #CommunityHousing #BuildSocialHousing * Data source: Report on Government Services 2024, PART G Housing and Homelessness, Productivity Commission, 22 January 2024