Industry united in call for action to boost social housing

THE National Affordable Housing Alliance is calling on all governments to implement a coordinated, 20-year national plan for social and affordable housing.

The alliance spans the social sector as well as housing, property and construction industries, bringing together National Shelter, the Property Council of Australia, Master Builders Australia, the Housing Industry Association, Australian Council of Social Service, Homelessness Australia and Australian Community Housing.

Alliance members took centre stage in Canberra this week, demonstrating that organisations that build, finance, manage and advocate for housing can find common ground on a clear way forward.

“These organisations represent a broad range of interests and policy perspectives across the housing system," said Jackson Hills, chair of NAHA and CEO of National Shelter.

"That makes our agreement significant: we agree Australia needs a long-term housing supply plan that delivers demonstrably more social and affordable housing.

"Australia’s social housing footprint sits at around four per cent, well below the OECD average, reflecting a shortage that has built up over decades.

“A 20-year approach would give governments, industry and the community housing sector the certainty to plan, invest and build the workforce and delivery capacity needed to significantly increase supply.

“We come at housing from different perspectives but we’re united on the need for long-term reform. Now we need the Commonwealth to lead with a plan that matches the scale of the challenge.”

NAHA has four shared priorities:

• A long-term national housing supply plan: Establish a minimum 20-year National Housing Supply Plan, delivered through rolling five-year agreements, with a pathway to lift social and affordable housing to at least six per cent of housing stock by 2050, requiring around 23,000 additional homes a year from 2030 to 2050, and a longer-term aspiration of 10 per cent.

• Sustained Commonwealth leadership and investment: Maintain strong Commonwealth leadership through long-term direct investment in social and affordable housing, retention and continuous improvement of the HAFF and related programs, and policy and financing settings that attract additional institutional and private investment.

• A clearer definition of Affordable Housing: Adopt a nationally consistent definition of Affordable Housing, focused on households in the lowest two income quintiles paying no more than 30 per cent of gross household income, while clearly distinguishing it from key worker and other complementary rental products, that may also require subsidy and support.

• Independent accountability for housing outcomes: Establish an independent Housing Outcomes Accountability Framework to publicly track social and affordable housing supply, unmet need, affordability and government delivery commitments, supported by regular demand forecasting and housing-gap analysis.

Jocelyn Martin, chief executive of HIA, said: “Australia's housing shortfall has been many years in the making and it will take a long-term national commitment to turn it around."

"Industry stands ready to play its part but we need a plan with the ambition, scale and certainty required to deliver more homes across the housing continuum and for all typologies.”

Mike Zorbas, chief executive of Property Council of Australia, said: “If Australians are going to succeed at social housing, the lion’s share of future supply will have to be centrally funded and that demands the community sector, industry and government power an audacious target and a big bold plan. These are the bones of that plan.”

Cassandra Goldie, CEO, Australian Council of Social Service: “Housing is a basic human right for everyone, according to Cassandra Goldie, CEO of Australian Council of Social Service.

"Yet too many people on low incomes cannot find a safe, secure and affordable home," she said.

"Solving the housing crisis requires substantial, long-term government investment to put Australia on a clear pathway to social housing making up 10 per cent of all homes.”

Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia, said it’s in everyone’s interest to develop a new long-term national plan for social and affordable housing.

"The challenge, and the market, continues to evolve and so should our policy solutions. National leadership is necessary to find a new pathway to more affordable housing," Wawn said.