Affordable housing and regional growth /

By The Hon Brian Howe 2005 Dunstan Foundation Fellow and Sally Jope Brotherhood of St Laurence Draft. Not for public citation

Paper presented at National Housing Conference, Perth, WA, 28th October 2005

How well are housing markets in the non-metropolitan regions able to respond to demand? What impacts does this have on low to moderate income households? To what extent is the supply of low-cost housing considered when regional growth is being planned? These are some of the questions being explored by Mr Brian Howe, a 2005 Dunstan Fellow. The 2005 Dunstan Fellows Program aims to improve awareness amongst the general public and key decision makers of current and future problems relating to affordable housing, especially for families, and to identify and encourage implementation of key measures to address those problems. The program consists of four principal projects, each of which led by a Dunstan Fellow in consultation with the Convenor. The projects focus on aspects of the following topics: 1. A National Affordable Housing Agreement (Julian Disney) 2. Financing Public Housing (Prof Mike Berry) 3. Regional Growth and Affordable Housing (The Hon Brian Howe) 4. Work, Families and Affordable Housing (Assoc. Prof Barbara Pocock) The aim of this paper is to provide key information and stimulate discussion on regional growth and affordable housing. This paper includes secondary evidence from a review of the literature on housing and regional development and findings from roundtable discussions and interviews with people responsible for economic development and social housing services in non-metropolitan regions experiencing growth. The discussions were held in a regional centre, a small town and a rural community. A final discussion is to be held in a growth area in NSW within the Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong region and will be included in the final report.