Public polling commissioned by the Property Council of Australia has found people who live within the Six Cities region see housing as a major impediment to quality of life and want to see it prioritised as part of the Greater Cities Commission vision.
The polling, conducted by SEC Newgate Research, explored key issues facing communities across the Six Cities – with a focus on housing, jobs, transport and climate vulnerability.
Property Council’s Acting Executive Director Adina Cirson said the results reinforced the critical role housing and infrastructure played in the liveability of our cities and communities.
“When respondents were asked how they would rate their local area, all aspects of housing were clear outliers as the worst performing attributes,” Ms Cirson said.
“The housing crisis in NSW is poised to become an economic crisis without intervention.”
Based on a rating out of 100:
- Availability of suitable housing options for ‘people like me’ scored 50 per cent
- Having a diverse mix of housing options for people at different life stages was 48 per cent
- Availability of affordable housing for essential workers recorded just 32 per cent, and
- Having suitable housing options for low-income earners was very low at 29 per cent.
When shown a diverse list of 21 liveability attributes, the wide range of respondents tended to judge their local areas most favourably on access to natural and recreational spaces, retail options, and educational and health services.
Conversely, many of the worst-rated measures relate to the affordability, availability and diversity of housing stock.
Ms Cirson said based on our own analysis, several districts across Greater Sydney have failed to achieve their housing target for the 0–5-year period (and are forecast not to meet their 6–10-year targets), casting doubt on their ability to meet housing demand over the next 15 years.
“Indeed, on current completions trends, Greater Sydney will not supply enough housing to meet demand to 2036,” she said.
“As the Commission knows, each year the dwelling targets are not met quite simply, worsens the affordability crisis.
“Crucially, the current targets do not count the already unmet need – meaning that the already undelivered housing numbers are having a multiplier effect.
“The GCC must ensure that strategic planning supports a forward pipeline of housing supply in NSW if it wants to truly deliver local liveability across communities.”