Australian cities are desperate for the ‘missing middle’ of housing density

Various housing densities in Brisbane. Photograph: Darren England

But it’s not as simple as the nimby-yimby debate suggests Peter Mares.

A more sophisticated planning approach is needed to build homes for more people while still providing greenery and open space.

The Business Council of Australia wants local governments to be stripped of decision-making powers if they fail to meet “basic timeliness requirements” when processing development applications.

The Victorian government is already heading in this direction. It intends to override council planning to fast-track apartment blocks around transport hubs in established suburbs.

There’s a widespread view that local government shoulders responsibility for our housing shortfall because proscriptive regulations enable well-heeled objectors to block or delay projects. Bolder council action on housing would certainly be welcome. But the matter is more complex than a simple nimby-yimby divide would suggest.

Housing bill explained: What’s at the heart of the bitter standoff between Labor, Greens and Coalition?

Some members of the Australian Senate at work

Anthony Albanese has not ruled out a double dissolution to get a key piece of legislation – Help to Buy – through the deadlocked Senate.

A bitter standoff over housing between the Labor government and the Greens threatens to drag on all the way to the election, with each party accusing the other of holding up progress and ignoring ordinary Australians living through a housing and rental crisis.

This explainer from The Guardian looks at the legislation and the stances of the different parties.

‘Critical issue’: Record low housing affordability – and the Australians all but locked out

View over houses with city skyline in the background

Housing affordability in Australia has reached an all-time low, as the vast majority of median-income households are now excluded from the housing market.

A new report reveals that housing affordability in Australia has further deteriorated under the impact of high mortgage rates and rising home prices, reaching its worst level on record.

The PropTrack Housing Affordability Report, released on Saturday, shows that in 2023-2024, a median-income household earning $112,000 could afford only 14 per cent of homes sold—marking the lowest share since records began in 1995.

The world’s biggest 3D housing neighbourhood just opened. What can Australia learn?

Australian governments are exploring 3D printing as a solution to the housing crisis as a cheaper and more effective model than traditional construction methods.

Texas in the United States is home to one of the biggest developments, and experts say it’s an example that could be replicated in Australia, pending software innovation.

Experts say there’s still work to be done to scale up 3D printing of homes in Australia.

Victoria Walks Inc submission to Plan Victoria

Victoria Walks supports the general direction set in the discussion paper Big Ideas for Victoria’s Future and many of the specific elements suggested.

The Victorian Government has a target to increase active transport mode share from 18 to 25%, but there has been no real sign of increased investment to deliver this target. Responsibility for walking and pedestrian infrastructure tends to be left to local councils, with widely varying priorities and levels of funding, expertise and staff capacity. If the full benefits of delivering housing within potential walking distance of destinations are to be realised, it needs to be paired with policy and investment to deliver more walkable neighbourhoods.

Housing development in regional towns and cities appears to be ‘one size fits all’ with a conventional model of development based on subdivision of land on the urban fringe. There is a need to promote infill housing in areas within easy walking distance of key destinations in regional towns and cities.

No-fault evictions in NSW pushing ‘more people into homelessness’ but little movement on law change

When businesswoman Eman Soliman was texted her eviction notice, she assumed it was a mistake. “There wasn’t even a phone call to explain why it had happened,” she said.

Data from the government’s End of Tenancy Survey published in 2022, indicates one renter is issued a no-grounds eviction every 18 minutes — leaving more than 28,000 renters looking for new homes every year. Results from the most recent survey are expected to be released later this year.

Under current law, landlords in NSW are able to terminate rolling leases at any time without reason. The only requirement is that they give the tenant 90 days’ notice.

Both Labor and the Coalition went into the 2023 state election promising to ban this type of eviction. Fifteen months later, the government has yet to put forward new legislation.

Yvonne doesn’t own her home. This housing alternative means she never worries about rent

Yvonne Jenkins pays 25 per cent of her income as rent for her two bedroom home, provided as part of a co-op arrangement.

Co-ops, made up of members, own the right to a collection of homes, which often, are co-located.
Without a landlord making a profit, rents only need to cover the cost of maintaining the housing.
Co-op housing rent is more affordable than open market rent and can be set at a percentage of income.

Co-ops, made up of members, own the right to a collection of homes which are often co-located.

A co-op is a business model, but according to Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals senior policy adviser Linda Seaborn, they operate differently to most of Australia’s real estate market.

After crisis accommodation: Are ‘foyers’ the key to fixing youth homelessness?

Riley sits outside a youth foyer in Glen Waverley. Photographer: Arianna Lucente

Riley is visiting a communal living facility that houses 40 residents – all aged between 16 and 24 – specifically designed to help people who are at risk of, or who are experiencing, homelessness.

Advocates say it’s the kind of accommodation Australia sorely needs, with rental vacancy rates falling below one per cent in some big cities, and with more than 40,000 younger Australians needing to access homelessness services each year.

How does a ‘youth foyer’ work?

People who live in a ‘youth foyer’ can stay for up to two years, and the Foyer Foundation says demand is far outstripping supply.

At a youth foyer, each resident gets their own unit with a kitchenette and bathroom, and there are communal areas including a full-sized kitchen, living and entertainment zone, a shared laundry, an art room, and an outdoor area with a barbecue and greenery.

There are a number of other support services available to help young people get back on their feet, ranging from life skills development, mental and physical health services, and drug and alcohol support to mentoring and employment assistance.

Phoebe says mental health referrals is also a key service that residents access.

“It’s all well and good to put somebody in a house, but if they don’t have the skills to maintain that … if they’re not mentally in a space where they’re able to take that on, it’s not going to last very long. And I’ve seen that working in crisis accommodation.”

The ‘crushing’ effect of the rental crisis on our mental health and sense of self

A woman with turquoise hair stands outside her front door.

Madi felt like she was either begging for a house, or having to “sell” herself to real estate agents “like a product or like a service. It sort of just made me feel less human.”

Worse, she started feeling like it was all her fault. “It’s just really crushing.”

Her story is increasingly familiar.

And the psychological toll of the rental crisis can not only bring you down, but research suggests it can affect your very sense of self, and even warp your view of the future.

The housing crisis hit Queensland hard. Jolted into action, the state has raised its game.

A construction site for new development. Darren England/AAP

Post-COVID housing stress has been especially intense in Queensland. Brisbane property prices have climbed by 65% since the pandemic began. That’s almost double the Australian capital city average (34%).

According to new data released by CoreLogic this week, Brisbane now has the second-most expensive housing in the country, behind Sydney. Prices rose by 1.4% in May, with the median property price hitting $843,231.

Across the state, new tenancy rents are up by 45% in just four years. Adjusted for inflation, that’s a 23% increase in real terms, much more than the growth in incomes over that time. Without doubt, rising accommodation costs are inflicting financial pain on many in the Sunshine State.

These conditions push some people into homelessness. With “tent cities” appearing across Brisbane, the crisis looks to be deepening.

Yet, as we report today, this situation has triggered a flurry of constructive housing policymaking. Queensland has begun to reverse a long-term decline in its social housing stock. The state has also boosted homelessness funding and services.