Kirsty Robb’s Post

We recently surveyed 88 senior industry leaders to get a pulse on the current state of social and affordable housing in Australia, including what’s working well and opportunities for reform. “Australia is in a housing crisis with not enough homes available to meet demand. The Federal Government has prioritised the issue through the establishment of the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) and National Housing Accord, among other initiatives, which has been well received by industry and is a positive step towards supporting the delivery of more social and affordable homes. "There are some reservations from industry about their ability to meet the national target, however the solutions are clear. It will require quick action and whole-of-industry buy-in from state and federal governments, as well as the private sector,” - Partner and Global Co-Head of Infrastructure, Nicholas Carney, said. To view the full survey findings, read our report: 'A Pulse on Social & Affordable Housing in Australia 2024', launched today: https://lnkd.in/gMaP4Wmg

The social and affordable housing sector was unloved for a long time. But now, the housing crisis is on every front page. There is significant willingness and momentum from the Federal and State governments, as well as the private sector, to build more homes. And there is real money flowing into the sector. We just need to ensure we have the right settings in place to meet Australia’s targets faster. With relevant insights from our senior leaders in our latest industry pulse survey and roundtables held last month, Erin Wakelin, Julie Couch and I discuss the key areas of reform required to support the delivery of social and affordable housing following the first allocation of the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) last month. For the full survey insights read our report ‘A Pulse on Social & Affordable Housing in Australia’: https://lnkd.in/ghK5QmhW Herbert Smith Freehills #socialhousing #affordablehousing #infrastructure

We recently surveyed 88 senior industry leaders to get a pulse on the current state of social and affordable housing in Australia. In our survey, industry identified the key opportunities for reform to support the delivery of housing in the sector.   Real Estate partner, Jane Hodder, said: "There is a strong desire from respondents for a "truly national system". The benefits of a national scheme would help to accelerate the delivery of social and affordable housing through consistent cross-border regulation including registration processes and eligibility. Reducing the burden on community housing providers, expediting planning and approval processes, and attracting private investment were also top of mind."   To view the full survey findings, read our latest report: 'A Pulse on Social & Affordable Housing in Australia 2024’: https://lnkd.in/gMaP4Wmg #socialhousing #affordablehousing #infrastructure

How do we fix Scotland’s #housing system? Tuesday 26th November 2024 Online half-day conference > What is the nature of Scotland's housing challenge? > Where does our housing stand and how did we get here? > Thinking strategically in tackling the housing crisis > Addressing the supply side - policy, investment and planning > Social housing, housing policy and the role of the public sector > Build to rent and attracting inward investment > Is there a planning problem or a planning opportunity? > The macro picture on the housing economy and what is needed to change it > The micro picture, what is happening on the ground? > Implications for the Scottish market of UK housing policy change Read more: https://shorturl.at/Rsu5t

How do we fix Scotland’s #housing system? Tuesday 26th November 2024 Online half-day conference > What is the nature of Scotland's housing challenge? > Where does our housing stand and how did we get here? > Thinking strategically in tackling the housing crisis > Addressing the supply side - policy, investment and planning > Social housing, housing policy and the role of the public sector > Build to rent and attracting inward investment > Is there a planning problem or a planning opportunity? > The macro picture on the housing economy and what is needed to change it > The micro picture, what is happening on the ground? > Implications for the Scottish market of UK housing policy change Read more: https://shorturl.at/Rsu5t

Government subsidies in the housing market are often promoted as a way to make housing more accessible to lower-income families, but their unintended consequences extend far beyond this noble aim. The interplay between government intervention and market forces raises questions about efficiency, fairness, and morality. In Australia, particularly in the Northern Territory, government subsidies have been a subject of contentious debate due to the region's unique demographic, economic, and geographical characteristics. Initial initiatives aimed at boosting homeownership among indigenous communities and providing affordable housing in remote areas have been central to policy discussions. However, each housing initiative has consistently fallen short of delivering the promised number of residences and a significant portion of the houses constructed prove unsuitable due to their locations and the behaviourof the occupants. This has led to a proliferation of unsafe buildings scattered across communities throughout the Territory. The impact of these subsidies has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, many of the associated funding initiatives have provided much-needed support to disadvantaged groups and NGOs, enabling temporary access to some housing that would otherwise be unaffordable. On the other hand, there have been unintended consequences, such as inflating housing prices and inadvertently benefiting higher-income individuals more than the targeted lower-income groups. From a security perspective, the design and implementation of housing policies need to consider not just economic factors but also the broader implications for community safety and stability. A nuanced, multi-disciplinary approach that considers the philosophical, economic, psychological, and security implications is essential. #housing #economics #realestate #interventionism #policyanalysis #unintendedconsequences  https://lnkd.in/g8zWSAdy

With the announcement of Labour as the new government and housing high on their agenda, #HOMESUK and #UnlockNetZeroLive will be an ideal opportunity to gain clarity on the details, influence the future direction of policy and learn how your peers are preparing. Make sure you attend to uncover how the government will: ▶Increase the delivery of affordable and high-quality homes ▶Raise the quality of existing homes and holding landlords to account ▶Grow green skills and the supply chain ▶Rebuild public trust post-Grenfell and challenging a culture of defensiveness ▶Help alleviate fuel poverty Secure your free* ticket here>> https://lnkd.in/e3eATEwY *Free to housing associations, local authorities, public sector, housebuilders, master developers, funders, architects, planners and BTR landlords, student accommodation, retirement living and extra-care providers. Fees will apply to other commercial organisations.

How can we rebalance housing investments to build stronger Communities? 🏡 Yesterday, the Chartered Institute of Housing unveiled the latest UK Housing Review Autumn Briefing Paper, providing new insights into the UK housing policy and investment landscape. This year’s review highlights pressing challenges for Communities across the UK. Despite Government spending on housing reaching £30.5 billion, only 12% goes towards building or improving homes—a stark contrast to 95% in the 1970s. Today, most funding is directed towards housing benefits, emphasising the urgent need to shift resources back to creating homes, not just covering rents. As a proud supporter of the UK Housing Review, Places for People believes housing should not only shelter but also strengthen Communities. Sustainable, affordable housing is essential to creating places where everyone can thrive. By investing more in affordable homes, we can reduce dependency on housing benefits and build a better future for generations to come. Let’s build a future where everyone has a place to call home. Access the full report here to see how we can work together to reshape the future of housing in the UK: https://bit.ly/4eNJZr4 #BecauseCommunityMatters #UKHousing #HousingPolicy #AffordableHousing #SustainableHousing #UKHousingReview #CIH

Putting Our Heads Together: What Can We Do About the Housing Crisis? In recent years, the social housing sector has received increasing Government support in Wales. With record-breaking government funding, breakthrough decarbonisation policies and ambitious government targets and standards, it is clear that social housing is recognised as a pillar of the social sector. To read the full article from Stephanie Pugh, click here: https://bit.ly/3SzRNnc #AcuityLaw #SocialHousing #HousingCrisis

To continue the conversation on the hot topic of Social and Affordable Housing, our Real Estate Partners, Julie Jankowski and David Sinn, discuss the role of private capital funding - one of the top three sources of financing for social and affordable housing, and the importance of making it more attractive for private capital investors to support this sector To keep up on the latest industry insights read our latest report ‘A Pulse on Social & Affordable Housing in Australia’.