Home Property Australia Build-to-Rent part of the solution for affordable housing

Build-to-Rent part of the solution for affordable housing

  • August 10, 2018

BUILD TO RENT PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

In the context of Homelessness Week 2018, the Property Council has engaged with industry bodies to help raise awareness of homelessness in WA and discuss strategies to address to the growing problem in WA.

Homelessness Week is an annual awareness-raising week to highlight the 116,000 Australians who are homeless on any given night. In WA, that number sits around 9,000 and over the past year WA’s specialist homelessness services are assisting over 24,000 people with significant over-representation of Aboriginal people (41%).

The Property Council WA has made a commitment to help address the issue by joining an alliance, #endhomelessnessWA whose objective is to end homelessness in WA over the next 10 years.

Earlier this month Property Council sat down with Shelter WA, in partnership with Master Builders Association, at an Industry Roundtable to discuss strategies to facilitate more affordable housing. Representatives at the meeting discussed current barriers and opportunities that can be collectively progressed. Along with other attendees, Property Council has committed to meet again to progress key initiatives and to champion these to government.

Increasing the supply of affordable and alternative housing is a significant piece of the puzzle. The introduction of a ‘Build-to-Rent’ housing model is a smart way of alleviating pressure on both private and social rental sectors whilst providing a viable solution to the housing affordability and supply equation across Australia.

The Property Council is the leading industry championing Build-to-Rent and welcomes the introduction of a Build-to-Rent model in NSW’s social and affordable housing program, Communities Plus. This is a great example of how Build-to-rent can part of the solution.

CEO of the NSW Federation of Housing Associations Wendy Hayhurst said, “Mixing build to rent, social housing and affordable housing together in a well-designed, planned way is exactly what’s needed to create lively, sustainable and diverse communities.”