Research background

There is now a variety of government schemes across Australia that have achieved significant affordability outcomes. In many cases what is critical is how these various schemes are brought together by the lead government agency to optimize the delivery of affordable housing outcomes. This project will review three major state level policy strategies to identify how government has catalysed affordable housing development and to assess whether certain approaches, both organisational and operational, are scaleable and transferable to other jurisdictions:

- The 'Opening Doors to Affordable Housing' strategy in WA

- The 'Affordable Housing Action Plan'  in the ACT

- The community housing asset vesting program in NSW

Research questions

1. What strategies, programs and mechanisms have governments used to increase the supply of affordable housing?

2. What are the key drivers behind innovative strategies to deliver affordable housing? How important is leadership and are there specific organisational structures and capabilities required to deliver such strategies?

3. How have government partnerships with the private and community housing sectors been developed and how have they evolved over time to deliver affordable housing? What have been the key successes and failures of such partnerships? 

Research approach

The research will entail a review of policy documents and, where possible, partnership documents, annual reports, consultant reports and other grey literature, as well as interviews with state officials, local government, private and not-for-profit sector actors.