Seniors housing crisis looms in Canberra without proactive policies

Seniors’ housing crisis looms in Canberra without proactive policiesThe ACT will face a seniors’ housing crisis without urgent change to planning systems, finds new research commissioned by the Property Council of Australia.The 5 A’s of Retirement Living – towards proactive planning policy, prepared by RPS Australia, scores the ACT ‘low’ on five indicators of retirement living policy effectiveness: awareness; accessibility; affordability; adaptability and attitude.”Around one in ten Canberrans are currently 65 years and over – and this figure is expected to double by 2025. At the current rate of retirement living development, we simply won’t meet demand,” says Catherine Carter, the Property Council’s ACT Executive Director.”A shortfall in retirement living options will prevent people from ‘downsizing’, will place pressure on the ACT budget and ultimately mean higher aged care costs,” she says.The report finds land use policy is the single most important lever that governments have to support the development of more retirement villages.Recommendations include setting retirement living housing targets, fast-tracked approvals and making retirement living a permissible development in all residential zones.”Thoughtfully-located retirement living developments in existing suburbs can offer older Canberrans the opportunity to ‘age in place’ in their own community, while vacating larger homes to enable demand to better match supply,” Ms Carter says.”The ACT Government must adjust its land release program to accommodate retirement villages – many of which might suit locations already earmarked for ‘future development’.”This may also mean providing incentives to industry for the development of residential land for the purpose of retirement living. Land values in existing suburbs often prohibit the use of these sites for affordable retirement living and aged accommodation.”All state and territory governments face the challenge of an ageing population. The solution is to provide Australians with more choice so that every individual can make the best decisions to stay active, happy and independent for as long as possible,” Ms Carter concludes.The executive summary and full report are available at www.retirementliving.org.au/research