A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Social Housing

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Loneliness is increasingly recognised worldwide as a critical social issue and one of the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25910392" target="_blank">major health hazards of our time</a>. Our <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7269/" target="_blank">research</a> shows older private renters are at high risk of loneliness and anxiety. This is a growing concern as <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-secure-and-affordable-housing-is-an-increasing-worry-for-age-pensioners-69350" target="_blank">more Australians are renting housing later in life</a>. By contrast, only a small proportion of the <a href="https://housing.vic.gov.au/social-housing" target="_blank">social housing</a> tenants we interviewed said they were lonely.
The links between housing arrangements and loneliness could have profound <a href="https://www.psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2018/December-Issue-6/The-impact-of-loneliness-on-the-health-and-wellbei" target="_blank">implications for our health</a>. As former US surgeon general Vivek H. Murthy <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/on-leadership/wp/2017/10/04/this-former-surgeon-general-says-theres-a-loneliness-epidemic-and-work-is-partly-to-blame" target="_blank">said</a>:
"The reduction in life span [for people experiencing loneliness] is similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and it’s greater than the impact on life span of obesity … Look even deeper, and you’ll find loneliness is associated with a greater risk of heart disease, depression, anxiety and dementia."
What causes loneliness?
The causes of loneliness are multifaceted and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167494305000361" target="_blank">complex</a>. The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7ESnapshot%20of%20Australia,%202016%7E2" target="_blank">number of people living alone</a> in Australia is <a href="/news">clearly a factor</a>. In 2016, just under one in four households (24.4%) were single-person households. That’s up from one in five in 1991.
<a href="https://www.kff.org/other/report/loneliness-and-social-isolation-in-the-united-states-the-united-kingdom-and-japan-an-international-survey/" target="_blank">Research</a> suggests low-income individuals are more likely to experience loneliness. So, too, are people who have a serious mental or physical health condition or have had a serious disruptive event (financial or job loss, illness or injury, or relationship breakdown) in the last couple of years.
The <a href="/news">impact of housing tenure on loneliness</a> has received little attention. While recognising that there are no definite associations, we interviewed about 80 older (65-plus) private renters and social housing tenants who depended on the <a href="https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/age-pension" target="_blank">Age Pension</a> for their income. These in-depth interviews indicated that their housing tenure was a critical factor in their risk of experiencing loneliness.
Many older private renters are lonely
Many older private renters have little disposal <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/7269/" target="_blank">income</a>, because the cost of housing uses up much of their income. They also live with the constant possibility that they may be asked to vacate their <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1440783317707833" target="_blank">accommodation</a>. Their limited budgets mean they often end up living in a poorly located property. These features, individually or in combination, create fertile ground for anxiety and loneliness.
Their dire financial situation was often an obstacle to social activities. One interviewee told of how she had to choose between food or breaking her isolation by using public transport.
"Well, you sort of think what you can do with $2.50. That’s a loaf of bread type of thing." – Beverley *
A 72-year-old woman living by herself said she could not afford the outings organised by her church.
"There’s quite an active social club at the church for over-55s but I can’t go to any of those … Sometimes I think it would be nice to go on something that appeals to me, yes. And they might have an afternoon at somebody’s home and you’re asked to bring a plate [of food]. You see, I couldn’t afford to do that."
Peter, 67 and divorced, had left the workforce prematurely due to ill-health.
"I’ve become very isolated. I used to, before I had the hip operation, I used to play tennis and I loved to play tennis … but I really can’t afford it. I’ve found a few clubs that I could go and play in. I’d like to get back to it, but they say, ‘Ah, the fees are this and you pay it annually,’ and I can’t come up with $150 or $200 or whatever."
Lack of money and insecure tenure were sources of enormous distress and anxiety, which further discouraged social contact. Brigette (67) was brutally honest:
"You do get depressed and I believe that’s why people suicide … And there have been times when I’ve thought, what is the point to life? I really have thought this can’t go on, you know … I feel sorry for people because it is hard, and once you stay in it’s like crawling out of a slime pit … I have to say, ‘Get up and go out, go up the shops … Pretend you need potatoes or something.’"
Not all of the private renters interviewed experienced loneliness. These interviewees usually had strong family ties or had managed to find affordable and secure accommodation.
Social housing tenants feel less isolated
In sharp contrast, only a small proportion of the social housing tenants interviewed said they were lonely. Almost all were adamant they did not experience loneliness and felt they had strong social ties. Their affordable rent, security of tenure, long-term residence and having neighbours in a similar position meant they could socialise and were not beset by anxiety.
An 85-year-old long-established social housing tenant’s response to the question about loneliness and isolation was typical:
"I do like it around here. I know where everything is and I know all the people, especially around these units you know. I know everyone and they know me. I like it around here. This is my home, you know. This is a community, I think. Like I know all the people and we’ve become really good friends. I couldn’t think of being anywhere else." – Kay
Pam, who had been a private renter before being allocated social housing, reflected on how her life had changed:
"Well, it is changed because I’m happier and I think I’m healthier and I have a lot of new friends. I also have a lot more people around me for support if anything does happen. If I get sick and if they don’t see me for a few days someone will come and say, ‘Pam, are you OK?’ In private housing there was nobody."
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1440783313500856?journalCode=josb" target="_blank">residualisation</a> of social housing meant some tenants were living in what they perceived to be unbearable conditions. However, they generally were able to deal with their situation. Patricia coped with her very challenging neighbours by going to the local community centre.
"No, I hate it [public housing]. I live here [at the community centre] every day. Yes, I’m on the committee here and I do things every day. This is my home, my family. Everybody is friendly with everybody. We have outings and things."
What the interviews indicate is that the housing tenure of age pensioners often plays a fundamental role in whether they are able to escape the experience of loneliness. Older private renters are far more likely to experience loneliness than their counterparts in social housing and that loneliness can be acute.
* All the names used are pseudonyms.
Alan Morris, Research Professor, University of Technology Sydney
Andrea Verdasco, Research Associate, University of Technology Sydney
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-really-have-thought-this-cant-go-on-loneliness-looms-for-rising-numbers-of-older-private-renters-118046" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Loneliness looms for rising numbers of older private renters

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Not long ago Australia’s housing boom was in full swing. Investors were betting on rising property values, which <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/product/state-of-the-market-report-june-2017/" target="_blank">rose by 13% in Sydney and 15% in Melbourne</a> in the year to mid-2017. Now the withdrawal of overseas buyers and prudential restrictions on loose lending to local investors have revealed how hollow the boom was.
Throughout the boom, politicians and property pundits consistently claimed the supply being delivered would improve affordability. As we are now seeing, when the price a property can fetch drops, so too does the desire to build it. It was rampant price growth that underpinned developers’ pleas to add supply, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/opinion-housing-need-cannot-fully-met-market-tim-williams/" target="_blank">not a desire to make housing more affordable</a>.
We are now seeing rapid declines in approvals and building starts as speculative investor demand, and the money it brought to the market, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/sydney-and-melbourne-house-values-fall-back-to-2016-levels-20190301-p5114v" target="_blank">has fallen away</a>.
Ironically, <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-falling-house-prices-do-less-to-improve-affordability-than-you-might-think-111267" target="_blank">falling prices will not improve affordability for people locked out of the market</a>. Banks are tightening lending practices and stagnant wage growth limits the buying capacity of those <a href="https://www.afr.com/real-estate/rental-affordability-worse-for-lowpaid-workers-and-negative-gearing-is-to-blame-20181128-h18fya" target="_blank">trapped in the low-income economy</a>. True, falling prices are welcome for some first home buyers who now find a purchase possible. But the rapid inflation of house prices long ago far outstripped the capacity of most lower-income households to buy a home.
<a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/filling-the-gap/" target="_blank">Our analysis for the NSW Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA NSW) and Homelessness NSW</a>, building on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/306" target="_blank">recent AHURI research</a>, shows that the market cannot meet around 12% of all households’ needs. Only one-third of those are housed outside the market in public or community housing. The rest are in overcrowded homes, rental stress or even homeless.
In the face of a housing market downturn, those same property pundits are now <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/money/investing/why-labor-s-housing-policy-is-self-defeating-fraught-with-peril-20190228-p510u8" target="_blank">sternly warning against action</a> that would further dampen speculative investment in housing. However, this is precisely the moment to tackle the problems that have been building over many years and to set the dynamics of the housing system on a more affordable track.
Winding back speculative activity by cutting negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts, cracking down on inappropriate lending practices, and increasing regulation on unacceptable building practices should all be followed through in earnest across all levels of government.
Delivering the housing we need
The bigger question that remains then is: what is the future of the housing supply system across Australia?
History has shown us private sector investment alone cannot provide the needed housing, especially for the most vulnerable. Neither can it produce consistent supply through its boom-and-bust cycles. So now is also the moment for a renewed conversation about how to deliver the housing that’s most needed, and who ought to do it, especially for <a href="https://theconversation.com/housing-costs-are-actually-the-same-as-in-1993-but-renters-still-struggle-95286" target="_blank">those facing chronic rental stress</a>.
Markets have never delivered housing affordable to those on low incomes without subsidy from governments. In fact, a mountain of subsidies and tax breaks have been thrown at the private market to support such an aim. These range from <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/housing-support/programmes-services/commonwealth-rent-assistance" target="_blank">Commonwealth Rent Assistance</a> to support private rental and grants to first time buyers, to negative gearing and capital gains tax relief for investors and home owners, but have had no discernible effect on affordability.
Faith in the markets has prevailed for the past 30 years. As a result, alternatives have been ruled out of play.
To cover the backlog of unmet need and future need, <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/filling-the-gap/" target="_blank">our new research commissioned by CHIA NSW and Homelessness NSW </a> predicts that, over the next 20 years, two in ten new homes would need to be for social housing and a further one in ten for affordable housing. Just shifting this third of construction to not-for-profit housing providers, either the community sector or government, would reduce delivery costs – by losing the 20% developer markup at a stroke.
More broadly, the funds needed to support a sustainable affordable housing program could easily be offset by the savings from scrapping current inefficient and inflationary tax subsidises to private investors.
The challenge of such a task cannot be underestimated. Yet this presents a considerable opportunity to resolve a range of interrelated problems with how housing is provided in Australia. Here are four of the biggest.
1. Stabilise the construction labour market
Social and affordable housing development would underwrite the construction industry with a steady stream of funding for building homes over the long term. Building industries mobilise considerable workforces. Stable streams of work would smooth out the dramatic drop in employment that comes with housing downturns.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-07/construction-decline-accelerates-amid-falling-prices-and-job-lo/10788782" target="_blank">Recent reports</a> have noted the accelerated decline in the construction industry. The <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/house-price-falls-are-not-the-economy-s-biggest-worry-20190227-p510gk" target="_blank">Reserve Bank is warning</a> that shocks to wages and employment present a threat to the economy.
2. Support planning for a predictable supply
The planning system would benefit from having a large portion of projected housing needs met and supplied more predictably. The uncertainty of boom-bust housing cycles makes it near impossible to plan sensibly for population growth and implement strategic planning objectives across our cities and regions.
Planning for major infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools and transport, relies on new housing arriving in a timely manner. Blanket <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/policy/ahuri-briefs/Understanding-inclusionary-zoning" target="_blank">inclusionary zoning</a> policies and discounted public land sales to support land supply for affordable homes need to be prerequisites.
3. The benefit of investing in affordable housing
If government spending on housing can be invested in the assets themselves (for example, through an equity share in the development), the expenditure will be retained both for an enduring social purpose and as a positive contribution to the accumulated asset base of government.
A properly designed, large-scale, not-for-profit program could mean investing in new housing becomes a positive for state and national balance sheets. This requires a shift in behaviour and mindsets of some Treasury officials who often see social housing as a liability.
4. Drive broad productivity dividends
<a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/research/projects/strengthening-economic-cases-housing-productivity-gains-better-housing-outcomes/" target="_blank">Other recent research</a> for CHIA NSW shows investment in suitably located social and affordable housing has much wider economic benefits. These include travel time savings for lower-income workers currently pushed into the outer suburbs, as well as human capital uplift resulting from long-term positive impacts on household incomes.
Similarly, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/265" target="_blank">government budgets benefit from reducing demand on social services</a>.
In short, the evidence-based economic case for government investment in social and affordable housing is strong. Given the impending fallout of a property bust following the largest property boom in Australian history, now is the time to act and reshape the nation’s housing system for the long term.
But do we have governments capable of conceiving of the necessary policy shifts or with the courage to enact them? Time, and the next election, will tell.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113113/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Laurence Troy, Research Fellow, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW
Bill Randolph, Director, City Futures Research Centre, Faculty of the Built Environment, UNSW
Ryan van den Nouwelant, Lecturer in Urban Management and Planning, Western Sydney University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/build-social-and-affordable-housing-to-get-us-off-the-boom-and-bust-roller-coaster-113113" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Build social and affordable housing to get us off the boom-and-bust roller coaster

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The NSW government has rolled out the second phase of its $1.1 billion Social and Affordable Housing Fund, choosing four community housing providers to build homes.
The four providers will deliver more than 1000 additional homes for vulnerable families.
Minister for Social Housing Pru Goward said the SAHF will continue to provide housing and tailored access to support services for tenants, including medical care, employment and education.
“The SAHF empowers people to live more independent lives and supports them to break the cycle of disadvantage, with this phase particularly focused on older people,” Ms Goward said. 
“The NSW Liberals &amp; Nationals Government is embarking on the biggest social housing construction program in Australia, building almost 27,000 social and affordable homes over ten years.”
The successful parties, who will provide quality dwellings close to infrastructure and tailored support services, are:
<ul>
<li class="m_-5142731504667098816MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Anglicare – delivering 550 homes</li>
<li class="m_-5142731504667098816MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Housing Plus – delivering 220 homes</li>
<li class="m_-5142731504667098816MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">SGCH Portfolio Ltd – delivering 260 homes</li>
<li class="m_-5142731504667098816MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Uniting – delivering 300 homes.</li>
</ul>
Combined with Phase 1, the SAHF now has contracts in place for access to over 3,400 homes across NSW.
The majority of these homes will be built on land owned or acquired by non-government organisations. 
The SAHF was established with more than $1.1 billion in seed capital from the NSW Government, which is invested to provide a stable income stream for up to 25 years to boost social and affordable housing.
Since May 2017, more than 320 individuals and families have moved into social and affordable homes funded under the first procurement phase of the SAHF.
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Anglicare helping deliver NSW social housing

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GUEST OBSERVATION
<a href="https://www.scch.org.au/" target="_blank">Southern Cross Housing</a>, a non-profit community housing provider, took over management of just under 1,000 public housing dwellings on the New South Wales South Coast last October. This transfer from the NSW Department of Family and Community Services nearly doubled Southern Cross’s portfolio. More than <a href="https://thirdsector.com.au/link-housing-takes-over-community-housing-in-largest-ever-sydney-transfer/">3,000 transfers</a> have since been made to community housing providers on the <a href="https://chl.org.au/2017/10/community-housing-ltd-to-house-over-2200-people-in-nsw/" target="_blank">NSW North Coast</a> and in <a href="https://www.linkhousing.org.au/files//Press_Release/media_release_nsw_government_transfers_1875_properties_to_link_housing.pdf">northern Sydney</a>.
These are the first of over <a href="https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/living/management-transfer-program/management-transfer-program-overview" target="_blank">14,000 tenancies being contracted out to community housing providers</a> over coming months. The “whole-of-location” transfer program will result in the department closing housing offices in four regions. Non-government organisations will manage all government housing assistance programs in these regions.
This is not an entirely new development. Nationally, community providers were responsible for <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/policy/ahuri-briefs/what-is-the-right-level-of-social-housing" target="_blank">about 20% of 400,000 social housing dwellings</a> in 2016. Most are managed under contract for state authorities, which retain ownership of the properties.
The current transfers represent a major acceleration in the growth of community housing providers’ share of the social housing sector. It will bring NSW to within a few points of the <a href="http://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2010/04/apo-nid21116-1160536.pdf" target="_blank">35% target agreed by the Housing Ministers’ Council in 2009</a>. This will be achieved in the next few years with transfers resulting from large estate redevelopment projects.
It is the first time a state government housing agency has effectively contracted out the entirety of its operations, albeit in particular regions. Rents collected will fund the management of all housing programs in these areas.
The policy narrative surrounding this program is richly positive. The government is promising improved customer experience and, importantly, more resources for social housing in general. Last month, NSW Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward <a href="https://www.linkhousing.org.au/files//Press_Release/media_release_nsw_government_transfers_1875_properties_to_link_housing.pdf" target="_blank">said</a>:
<blockquote>
By transferring management to Community Housing Providers … we are harnessing over $1 billion of additional funding over 20 years that will improve the experience of people living in social housing. I am delighted that, as part of the transfer, tenants will have the support and services they need to improve their lives.
</blockquote>
So where is the extra money coming from?
The extra A$1 billion represents Commonwealth funds that will be captured by the NSW social housing system without appearing in either state or federal budgets. This results from an anomaly in federal income security arrangements: very low-income community housing tenants can receive up to about $67 per week (singles) in <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/housing-support/programmes-services/commonwealth-rent-assistance" target="_blank">Commonwealth Rent Assistance</a> (CRA), whereas public housing tenants are not eligible for this benefit.
Public housing rents are calculated at 25% of income (or market rent if this is lower). But community housing organisations can add the entire amount of CRA received by the tenant to this figure. This effectively increases the rent payable for a single pensioner by up to 70%.
Under changes in the law in 2016 tenants have no option but to accept the changes. If a tenant delays or fails to apply for CRA for any reason they are deemed to be receiving it and their rent correspondingly adjusted.
  Southern Cross Housing video explaining how Commonwealth Rent Assistance will be used to boost rental revenue.
What about the housing maintenance backlog?
<a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2017/housing-and-homelessness/housing" target="_blank">According to the Productivity Commission</a>, in 2016 more than a quarter of public housing dwellings in NSW failed to meet a basic standard of functionality and structural integrity. This was the worst result of any state.
It is highly likely that the transferred properties carry a substantial backlog of maintenance and repairs. The cost of this work will be effectively shifted to the federal government. However, as CRA is an income security entitlement, this will not appear as housing expenditure in the federal budget.
Maintenance issues are the most common reason for complaints and tenant dissatisfaction, so tenants will welcome more spending on maintenance. However, community providers are required to use the government’s existing maintenance contractors at least until contracts expire.
 
Providers contend that higher staff-to-tenant ratios will lead to more humanised management and greater <a href="https://www.linkhousing.org.au/blog/link-housing-wins-social-housing-management-transfer" target="_blank">responsiveness to individual tenants’ needs</a>. This claim will be tested against the fact that the community providers are dramatically expanding their portfolios and scope of operations, and will absorb many displaced department staff.
For some tenants it appears more local “hands-on” management is not always experienced as a positive. Analysis of <a href="http://www.ncat.nsw.gov.au/Pages/cc/Divisions/Social_housing/social_housing.aspx" target="_blank">NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)</a> data sourced by advocates somewhat surprisingly reveals that community providers are heavily over-represented in taking tenants to the tribunal. At the same time, the break-up of management among many providers will limit the possibility of moving or swapping houses for employment or family reasons.
Lack of title limits new housing supply
In the UK and Europe, non-profit housing organisations are now the <a href="https://www.housing.org.uk/resource-library/browse/how-many-homes-did-housing-associations-deliver-in-quarter-two-2018-19/" target="_blank">major developers of new social housing</a>. They do this by borrowing against their assets and partnering with the development industry.
Australian community housing managers have long argued that they should be given freehold title to state properties. In theory, this would enable them to borrow and provide extra social housing stock without adding to public debt.
 
State governments have resisted asset transfers on accountability grounds, preferring to simply outsource management.
So, rather than adding to social housing supply, the marked growth of the community housing sector over the last decade has been almost entirely at the expense of public housing. Australia’s population <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/census" target="_blank">increased by 12.6% between 2011 and 2016</a>. The number of social housing dwellings (public and community housing) <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2019/housing-and-homelessness/housing" target="_blank">grew by less than 3% in that time</a>. Most of that growth resulted from federal stimulus funding during the global financial crisis.
The current program in NSW excludes any expectation that providers will leverage additional income to develop new housing.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251401/original/file-20181218-27755-a6o8dg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/251401/original/file-20181218-27755-a6o8dg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Social housing as percentage of all dwellings. (Source: Michael Darcy) 
In 2013 the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute published a comprehensive analysis of social housing transfers. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/215">report</a> concluded that potential benefits included maximising revenue, improving services and leveraging growth. However, it noted that “there has been an unrealistic loading of objectives onto this one policy mechanism”.
The authors called for a clearer and more realistic rationale for housing transfers and better opportunities for tenants to be involved in shaping the outcome.
Five years on it is apparent that revenue is the key driver at the expense of increased supply and tenant choice or voice. Support for the growth of community housing has been restated in the new <a href="http://www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/housing_homelessness_agreement.aspx" target="_blank">National Housing and Homelessness Agreement</a> where it appears as a national priority area.
In NSW, a wide range of former government responsibilities and access to a Commonwealth-funded revenue stream have been handed over without the accountability and grant management mechanisms that traditionally apply to community-based service providers. Tenants are expected to apply for federal funds on behalf of the state social housing system and bear a significant cost if they don’t comply.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/108598/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-darcy-119569" target="_blank">Michael Darcy</a>, Adjunct Professor, School of Social Sciences and Psychology, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092" target="_blank">Western Sydney University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/growth-of-community-housing-may-be-an-illusion-the-cost-shifting-isnt-108598" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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'Growth' of community housing may be an illusion. The cost-shifting isn't: Michael Darcy

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Social housing is in crisis in Australia, with almost 200,000 people on waiting lists. Social housing made up 8% of all housing stock in Australia in 1966. This had fallen to just 4.3% at July 2016.
As a result, governments have tightened eligibility. Social housing is increasingly home to only the most vulnerable households. And even these households often spend years on the waiting list while experiencing severe housing stress or homelessness.
Outside of social housing, rental and ownership options are increasingly unaffordable, particularly in the capital cities. Social housing was once a stepping stone to home ownership, but this is becoming more difficult.
There is a solution
The Melbourne-based Barnett Foundation responded by creating a model of affordable home ownership for social housing tenants. The foundation developed a 34-unit apartment in the inner suburb of North Melbourne and offered 28 units to households living within 4km of the site and willing to leave their social housing. It’s called the Melbourne Apartments Project (MAP).
The foundation offered an interest-free second mortgage scheme to ease buyers’ transition into home ownership. This allows the owner to retain 100% ownership of their home while combining their own savings, a standard first mortgage with a bank and a second mortgage with the foundation.
The developer achieved cost savings during construction through reduced marketing and real estate costs (thanks to support from Melbourne City Mission), reduced tax requirements and foregone profit. The savings totalled about 37% of the market value of each property.
These savings were passed on to the buyers in the form of a no-interest second mortgage. This is not payable until the home owner sells their apartment. The second mortgage also reduces every year for the first four years.
Buyers were required to provide at least a A$25,000 deposit and to seek a mortgage to cover the remaining development costs of each unit. This is about 63% of market value, meaning they require a much smaller loan and pay less interest, as well as a smaller deposit. This helps overcome two of the largest barriers to home ownership for first home buyers.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/235129/original/file-20180906-191844-1j4qu6v.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
What do the buyers think about it?
I interviewed ten of the 28 MAP households in our research and will be presenting findings next Tuesday, October 9, at a free event.
Residents offered extremely positive feedback on their new homes and about being able to buy a home near their existing communities. They would not have contemplated this without the MAP.
Many had lived in social housing for 20 to 30 years and had never felt capable of making the move into market housing.
Participants spoke of the benefit of being able to pass on an asset to their children or to build wealth in their home. Many spoke of the great sense of achievement this move had given them.
I found residents retained extremely strong connections to their previous communities. They often returned to the public housing estates for social activities, to visit family and for community gardening.
However, many also spoke of their deep desire to leave unsafe, “aggravated” and uncomfortable previous homes. Households spoke of the deep sense of relief that came from feeling safe.
Most respondents told me their financial position had not changed or even improved since moving into MAP. Most were “over income” tenants, with a household income that meant they paid market rent for their social housing. Many found their mortgage repayments were similar to their previous rental costs.
However, social housing provides a “safety net” as rents are adjusted if household income decreases. Given some households gathered their deposits with significant support from family and friends while earning low incomes, this might be a future concern for residents.
Scaling up solutions
A 28-unit development is a drop in the ocean compared to the level of unmet need. Recent research suggests Greater Melbourne alone has a 160,000-dwelling deficit of housing that is affordable and available to very low and low-income households.
Creating a significant change requires effective models to be replicated and scaled up. In Toronto, a similar model called Options for Homes has delivered 2,000 affordable units. A further 2,500 units are in the construction pipeline.
Our research found this model is replicable and suitable for a subsection of more financially secure social housing tenants. Its scaling would be supported by access to land and finance and integration with social rental housing options.
Access to land
Access to affordable land in well-located areas is one of the largest barriers to developing affordable housing. Projects like MAP could be integrated into state government initiatives like the Public Housing Renewal Program.
Such schemes would also benefit from discounted land sales by philanthropic or religious groups, or even deferred land sale costs. Options for Homes almost always works with vendors that are prepared to defer land purchase costs until development is completed.
Access to funds
Philanthropic organisations and social impact investors like the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation have already supported affordable home ownership through the Affordable Housing Loan Fund. This allowed the not-for-profit organisation Habitat for Humanity to provide no-interest loans to low-income buyers in the town of Yea in Victoria.
Similarly, social impact investors are key to providing project equity to models like the Nightingale housing model. They could provide important equity and/or debt finance to projects using the MAP model.
Integrated housing solutions
This model is aimed at households with incomes of at least A$75,000 a year, or access to a substantial capital contribution. Despite the reduced deposits and mortgage repayments, most social housing tenants will not be able to access this scheme.
Other not-for-profit organisations could replicate this model and integrate it into their existing portfolios of social rental housing. The MAP model could cross-subsidise other housing options and help to provide a diversity of housing options in developments.
Why does this matter?
For the Melbourne Apartments Project, we estimated that for every A$1 of cost to the government, it receives A$2.19 in benefits from the project. This is mainly due to new households being able to move into vacated public housing units.
If every public housing unit made available as a MAP participant moved out were reallocated to a high-needs applicant on the waiting list, the government could save A$27,458.22 in costs per MAP participant per year.
Housing is increasingly unaffordable in many parts of Australia. As governments reduce their role in social and affordable housing, the need for industry-led innovations is growing. Pilot projects such as MAP are important but need to be supported by policy and scaling mechanisms to have a systemic impact on our housing environment.
Katrina Raynor, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Transforming Housing Project, University of Melbourne
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/affordable-home-ownership-scheme-offers-a-pathway-out-of-social-housing-102635" target="_blank">original article</a>.
The authors of this and two other recent Conversation articles – Carolyn Whitzman, Matthew Palm and Katrina Raynor – are presenting the full findings of their research project at a Transforming Housing event from 6.30pm on October 9.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/102635/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
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Affordable home-ownership scheme offers a pathway out of social housing: Katrina Raynor

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Studies indicate spending time in nature brings physical, mental and social benefits. These include stress reduction, improved mood, accelerated healing, attention restoration, productivity and heightened imagination and creativity.
Increased urbanisation has made it more difficult to connect with nature. And members of lower socioeconomic and minority ethnic groups, people over 65 and those living with disability are less likely to visit green spaces. This could be due to inaccessible facilities and safety fears.
A gardening program for disadvantaged groups, running in New South Wales since 1999, has aimed to overcome the inequity in access to green spaces. Called Community Greening, the program has reached almost 100,000 participants and established 627 community and youth-led gardens across the state.
Our independent evaluation explored the program’s impact on new participants and communities in social housing by tracking six new garden sites in 2017. Around 85% of participants told us the program had a positive effect on their health and 91% said it benefited their community. And 73% said they were exercising more and 61% were eating better. One participant said engaging in the program even helped them quit smoking.
These insights have advanced our understanding of how community gardening improves the mental and physical health of Australians living in social housing communities in our cities.
Our study
Trends towards urbanisation and loss of green space have sparked concerns about population health and well-being. This has led to a growing body of research on the impact of community gardens on children and adults.
The Community Greening program is supported by the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney in partnership with Housing New South Wales. Anecdotal feedback gathered by the botanic garden over the past two decades has shown gardening improves well-being and cohesion, fosters a sense of belonging, reduces stress and enhances life skills.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V-feCm1FDF8?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
Community Greening provides gardens for people in social housing.
Based on this understanding, Community Greening aims to:
<ul>
<li>improve physical and mental health</li>
<li>reduce anti-social behaviour</li>
<li>build community cohesion</li>
<li>tackle economic disadvantage</li>
<li>promote understanding of native food plants</li>
<li>conserve the environment</li>
<li>provide skills training to enable future employment opportunities</li>
<li>share expert knowledge of the garden.</li>
</ul>
Our research investigated these outcomes in participants, and whether they changed during the course of the program. We collected data using questionnaires over seven months (before and after participation). We also conducted focus group interviews with participants and open-ended questionnaires with staff working at the community sites.
Of the 23 people who completed both questionnaires before and afterwards, 14 were female and nine were male. They had an average age of 59, ranging from 29-83. Fifteen participants were born in Australia while the rest came from Fiji, Iran, Poland, New Zealand, Philippines, Chile, Afghanistan and Mauritius. One participant identified as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and five people (22%) reported English was not their first language.
Initially, 27% reported they had never gardened prior to the program. At the post-test questionnaire, the frequency of attendance improved for many of them. Over 40% gardened once a week and 22% every day.
Gardening benefits
Overall, we found participants felt a sense of agency, community pride and achievement. The gardening program helped encourage change and community development. Some were happy to learn a new hobby.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/228673/original/file-20180721-142405-1snyawc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Community Greening participants found a lot of benefits to gardening. Research infographic/Screenshot, Author provided
Gardening also served as an opportunity to socialise with neighbours. In previous years within some social housing communities, it was commonplace for residents to simply stay inside their units without interacting with anyone.
Many participants said they saw a marked improvement in their health and well-being. One participant remarked:
"I suffer with a lot of health problems, and a lot of times I’ve been sitting at home, been depressed and not been happy about my illness, and since I’ve become more involved with the garden it helped me to not worry about my health so much like I used to and it actually improved my eating habits. It has changed my life positively. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself anymore…"
Some described the gardening experience as calming and cathartic – especially those who suffered from depression and anxiety. Some spoke of the positive aspect of having something to do each day and their feelings of achievement.
Another participant said:
"Going outside gives me not only physical exercise, but it provides a certain amount of joy in that you’re seeing the benefit of your hard work coming through in healthy plants. Whether it’s vegetables or a conifer, you’re seeing it grow and you’re seeing the benefit…"
Additional improvements in social health included a genuine enthusiasm for working in a team, with increased co-operation and social cohesion between staff and tenants. The housing managers and social workers work alongside tenants helping to foster trust, co-operation, social collaboration and healthy relationships.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96707/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">More importantly, this research has provided validation that Community Greening has aligned with contemporary social-housing priorities. These include supporting health and well-being, nurturing a sense of community, enhancing safety and developing a sense of place.
Tonia Gray, Associate Professor, Centre for Educational Research, Western Sydney University
Danielle Tracey, Associate Professor, Adult and Postgraduate Education, Western Sydney University
Kumara Ward, Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, Western Sydney University
Son Truong, Senior Lecturer, Secondary Education, Western Sydney University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/gardening-improves-the-health-of-social-housing-residents-and-provides-a-sense-of-purpose-96707">original article</a>.
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Gardening improves the health of social housing residents and provides a sense of purpose

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Social housing, managed by governments and the community sector, provides a safety net to vulnerable Australians. A person living in social housing is far less likely to experience homelessness than someone battling it out in the private rental market.
And some argue social housing comes with a host of other benefits, such as improvements to employment, education, incarceration rates and health outcomes.
But our research failed to find evidence of social housing residents achieving better outcomes in any of these other areas than similar residents in the private market – at least in the short run.
Prior to our research, there was limited evidence of the impact of social housing on these outcomes. State governments spend hundreds of millions of dollars providing social housing with an incomplete understanding of what that investment delivers. This needs to change.
Improving outcomes
Social housing is particularly effective at reducing homelessness because it’s affordable, as rents are typically set at around 25% of income. And Commonwealth Rent Assistance for those in the private market has been failing to keep up with increasing rental costs over recent years.
Also, social housing, particularly public housing, tends to be secure with long-term – and sometimes even life-time – leases available.
Like other welfare policies in Australia, social housing tends to be highly targeted to those with particularly low means. It has also increasingly become targeted to specific priority groups – such as those fleeing family violence or people with a disability. As at June 2017, around 395,691 households were in social housing across the country, at a cost of A$3.9 billion per year to state and territory governments.
Government policy generally assumes that providing social housing to vulnerable people will result in improvements across a range of life outcomes. As a 2017 Productivity Commission report on housing and homelessness notes:
"A lack of adequate and affordable housing contributes to housing stress and homelessness, and is detrimental to people’s physical and mental health. Homelessness affects life expectancy, with homeless people estimated to live 15–20 years less than the mainstream population."
In our research we analysed the effects of social housing on measures of these and other key outcomes as well as on the risks of incarceration and homelessness. We used the Journeys Home survey (which measures a range of characteristics over points of time of people vulnerable to homelessness placed in social housing as well as those of similar individuals not in social housing).
Comparing the outcomes for social housing residents with a statistically constructed control group, we did find placing a vulnerable person in social housing significantly reduced their risk of homelessness. In the period following placement, the person’s probability of experiencing homelessness was 13 percentage points lower than similar individuals not in social housing, who have a homelessness rate of about 20%. This is equivalent to a 65% reduction in the risk of homelessness for social housing residents.
But there were no statistically significant effects on employment, education, health (which included measures of mental health, self-assessed physical health and having a long-term health condition) or incarceration.
Already too vulnerable
The most likely explanation for this is that access to social housing has long been targeted to society’s most vulnerable members who already struggle with factors such as employment or education due to age, family commitments, disabilities and long histories of disadvantage.
Similarly, long-term health conditions – be they physical or psychological – which have been found to be associated with vulnerability to homelessness, remain even after entering social housing. Although social housing provides the stability necessary for people to seek treatment, our research tells us this doesn’t seem to flow through to measurable outcomes.
It’s also possible the effects of social housing differ across different groups of people and different types of housing. Young people, for example, may have very different employment outcomes to older people – but averaging out the results means these cohort-specific effects may be lost.
Similarly, it’s the children of residents who may be most likely to benefit from the security social housing provides. Analysis in the US found that children, particularly younger children, gained the most from experiments to improve their families’ housing situation. But we did not examine children in our analysis.
The US research also suggests it’s not just the housing that matters, but the neighbourhood too. Children of families who moved to areas with lower concentrations of poverty and crime when the children were young (below age 13) showed significantly improved educational outcomes and earnings later in life.
Why does this matter?
All of this highlights the importance of separately measuring the cohort-specific effects of programs and taking into account the neighbourhood characteristics of where people live.
Our research was unable to sufficiently take account of these factors, as we had no access to suitable large datasets, or those that include the children of residents. Much of the data that would enable this kind of analysis resides in isolation across government departments. Poor links between these sources limits researchers’ access to it.
Having access to data to conduct such analysis would give governments an opportunity to consider if the current approach of only providing social housing to the most vulnerable is optimal. Or whether they should, perhaps, expand the social housing program to capture other at-risk cohorts.
Cost-benefit analysis is routinely used to assess the value of major transport infrastructure projects. But business cases for social infrastructure projects tend to rely on qualitative assessments of benefits. We have the tools to quantify the impacts of social housing but these need to be applied to the right data.
This will help ensure governments make the right investment decisions and allocate resources more efficiently while still keeping equity concerns top of mind.
Rosanna Scutella, Senior Research Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/97446/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">David Prentice, Principal Economic Advisor at Infrastructure Victoria, contributed to this article.
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-housing-protects-against-homelessness-but-other-benefits-are-less-clear-97446" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Social housing protects against homelessness – but other benefits are less clear

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Five more Millers Point properties have been sold by Property NSW for a total of $25.5 million as the government raises funds for its social housing programme.
The five properties listed by Property NSW on behalf of Family and Community Services were sold via an expressions of interest campaign. 
Each property contains four two-bedroom apartments and are located on High Street, with the highest winning bid being for $5.31 million.
They are:
<ul>
<li>38-40A High Street - sold for $5.31 million (above)</li>
<li>50-52A High Street- sold for $5.10 million</li>
<li>58-60A High Street- sold for $4.9 million</li>
<li>62-64A High Street - sold for $5.0 million</li>
<li>66 -68A High Street- sold for $5.19 million</li>
</ul>
The selling agents were Andrew Stewart and Peter Starr of McGrath.
The sale of these properties marks the commencement of the 2017 Millers Point sales programme, the proceeds of which will contribute to the funding of 1,500 new social housing dwellings across the state, said a media release.
A total of 130 Millers Point properties have been sold to date for about $370 million. 
The biggest sale among the sandstone offerings came at the start of last year when Darling House fetched $7.7 million at auction.
Formerly known as the Rocks Cottage Type Hospital, the standalone house offers 10 bedrooms.
The properties are accompanied by strict heritage protections; including NSW Heritage Council-endorsed Conservation Management Plans.
McGrath Estate Agency founder John McGrath has repeatedly pinpointed the area around The Rocks as a wise investment.
"As a shift in the housing stock moves from Government owned to private dwelling there is bound to be a massive upgrade to these beautiful harbourside Georgian and Victorian homes," McGrath said.
"Plus a significant change in local amenity that usually follows such upgrades.
"With the recently opened Barangaroo Point park, a 5 minute walk to the CBD &amp; Barangaroo commercial precinct, this is fast becoming one of the most fashionable addresses in Sydney."
Property NSW, on behalf of Family and Community Services, has recently listed a further five properties for sale in Millers Point, including a block of seven apartments and adjoining terraces.
One of the five properties is a pair of adjoining terraces located at 26-28 Fort Street, a short walk from Dawes Point, The Rocks and Walsh Bay.
These terraces, with views of Sydney Harbour Bridge, are currently configured as seven one-bedroom apartments and feature a private rear garden and outdoor entertainment space.
The terraces will be sold via auction by Ray White Real Estate on Friday 7 April.
Also listed is the heritage-listed former Hit or Miss Hotel at 69 Windmill Street.
The renowned local pub was licensed from 1852 until 1923.
It later operated as a migrant hostel, before it was remodeled into five apartments in the 1930s.
The apartments which comprise the building will be sold as a single property.
The other three Millers Point properties listed for sale include:
<ul>
<li>1 Windmill Street – three bedroom corner terrace with harbour views  </li>
<li>14-16 Trinity Avenue – two terraces (to be sold as a single property)  </li>
<li>52 Kent Street – three bedroom terrace plus study  </li>
</ul>
The above four properties will be sold via auction through McGrath Estate Agents on Wednesday 5 April.  
A total of 130 Millers Point properties have been sold to date, delivering circa $347 million for reinvestment in social housing.  
All purchasers of properties in the Millers Point sales program must adhere to NSW Heritage Council-endorsed Conservation Management Plans, which detail heritage maintenance obligations and the works permitted on the properties.  
For more details please visit <a href="https://www.rediscovermillerspoint.com.au" target="_blank">www.rediscovermillerspoint.com.au</a>.  
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Five Millers Point properties sold off for $25 million by NSW government

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GUEST OBSERVER
The announcement by the Minister for Social Housing Brad Hazzard that the Riverwood social housing estate will be renewed with a mix of private, social and affordable housing demonstrates the value of Private Public Partnerships.
The recently completed mix of social and market housing at Riverwood delivered by Urban Taskforce member PAYCE Consolidated demonstrates how the same quality of building can house a mixture of private owners and social housing tenants.
The social housing component is managed by St George Community Housing who are also a member of the Urban Taskforce.
The scale of development at Riverwood is particularly large with around 1,600 new social and affordable housing that are expected to be funded by an even greater number of private sector homes spread across a 30.5 hectare site.
Precinct wide developments like this are a good use of Private Public Partnerships as the innovation of the private sector is maximised, financial returns for the developer and investor are secured, while balanced by the provision of community amenities, services and infrastructure.
It will be important to have a realistic tendering process that respects the input of the private sector rather than having a process that is overly prescriptive. The private sector may well have ideas about site layouts, construction methods, materials and the design of the public spaces that are innovative and these innovative approaches need to be encouraged.
The Urban Taskforce is supportive of the renewal process being driven by Minister Hazzard and the Government’s approach of opening the process to private sector innovation.
 
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Proof private owners and social housing tenants can live side by side: Chris Johnson

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
We have to move the housing conversation beyond a game of political football about negative-gearing winners and losers. Australia needs a bipartisan, long-term, housing policy. Why? Because we have a slow-burn, deepening crisis that is affecting Australians who are already highly vulnerable and disadvantaged. They include:
<ul>
<li>
206,000 households on the waiting lists for social housing;
</li>
<li>
46 percent of those with greatest needs wait two years or more; and
</li>
<li>
105,000 were designated homeless in the 2011 Census.
</li>
</ul>
The UN Rapporteur on Human Rights, following a visit in 2007, concluded that Australia was failing to deliver the fundamental human right of adequate housing because of the lack of any co-ordinated national strategy. Nothing has changed since 2007.
<h2>A failure to join the dots of housing policy</h2>
Our cities will stop working if we do not do something. A decent long-term housing policy is not just about the million or so Australians who are in housing need, marginal housing or homeless. In reality, housing demand and supply for all tenures is intricately connected.
Failed first-time buyers rent privately, increasing demand and rent levels. This pushes lower-income families towards social housing waiting lists and, at the end of the queue, those on marginal incomes are more likely to experience homelessness. Investors push out would-be home buyers by leveraging generous tax breaks that are not available to renters who are saving up to buy.
Rental affordability is worsening, including for key workers in our cities. First-time buyers are having difficulty entering an overheated market. We face the prospect of a permanent “generation rent”.
Changes in the value of new lending, 2008-2016
<a href="/images/2016/06/15/image-20160608-15024-1pesejn.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/15/image-20160608-15024-1pesejn.jpg" alt="">
<h4>
Changes in the value of new lending to investors, first-home buyers and subsequent buyers from December 2008 to March 2016. CoreLogic, ABS
</h4>
More than 40 percent of people in private rental pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing – and this is after taking into account Commonwealth Rent Assistance. The 30 percent threshold is generally recognised as the level at which financial stress is experienced.
While states and territories have a wealth of experience and a clear role in delivery, the fact is the Commonwealth government must take a leadership role in co-ordinating national housing policy and connected programs across the four sectors of our housing system: home ownership; affordable private rental; social housing; and specific housing for Aboriginal, disability and homelessness needs.
It can be done; it has been done before. In 1945, Australia also faced a housing crisis. Despite skills and materials shortages and the financial difficulties of the post-war economy, the Commonwealth built 670,000 homes in ten years.
Decent housing underpins jobs, growth and productivity. Well-located, affordable housing is critical for preventative health, to provide a stable home environment for education and self-confidence, and for a productive workforce.
We need a national program of home building to meet the shortfall in all forms of housing. While this will not in itself resolve all problems, it is critical to a successful housing policy.
<h2>How much will it cost and where’s the money?</h2>
This is the subject of a new research report, Towards a National Housing Strategy, by Compass Housing working with a group of peak bodies, housing academics and community housing providers.
To get the long-term benefits of decent housing, we must recognise that providing this has an up-front cost and we are in a tight fiscal environment. The Ache for Home Report estimates a A$10 billion housing bond could meet the needs of the 100,000 currently homeless people. Across all tenures, Australia could build 500,000 homes in ten years for an annual investment of $12.5 billion.
Even if the Commonwealth government took full responsibility for funding a national building program of such scale, the annual investment would equate to less than one-fifth of the current annual cost of capital gains (CGT) exemption on the main residence. The bonus of investment on such a scale could be the boost to the wider economy in which each $1 spent on construction created a $1.30 gain.
A national housing strategy would need to do two key things to raise the cash needed:
<ul>
<li>
rebalance current tax settings to redirect money to where it is most needed; and
</li>
<li>
revise fiscal settings to attract more private capital into housing.
</li>
</ul>
Innovative financial models have been developed internationally that can bring private finance to the table. The development of an arm’s length, government-funded financial intermediary to provide loan guarantees within a housing bond approach is one model with merit. It is used in the UK, the US and Europe.
Rebalancing subsidy arrangements across housing sectors means ring-fencing current housing support and redirecting it across the housing system. Reforms of capital gains tax exemptions and discounts, as well as negative-gearing concessions, are contentious, but are levers to improve housing supply.
CGT exemptions for the main residence cost taxpayers $54 billion in 2014-15. Nearly 90 percent of the benefit went to the top 50 percent of earners. And the costs are increasing. The CGT discount of 50 percent on capital gains, including investment properties, will cost $121 billion by 2018-19.
Negative gearing amounts to an average saving of $2,900 per year for the 1.2 million who claim. However, its impact on the budget means it costs the remaining Australians $310 per year each in tax that they would not otherwise need to pay.
Across these subsidies alone, a modest redirection would provide for a significant start-up fund for affordable housing, to be leveraged with private investment funds.
A national bipartisan approach would allow an independent review of all subsidies and recommend rebalancing options. It could also ease financial stress in the private rental sector by examining the current caps and levels of Commonwealth Rent Assistance to improve prospects for the many families where renting is a lifetime housing solution.
Without a national, integrated approach to housing, Australia will by default continue the mistakes associated with seeing the four sectors of the housing continuum as discrete and conditioned by different factors.
Ralph Horne is deputy pro vice chancellor, Research &amp; Innovation; Director of UNGC Cities Programme; Professor, RMIT University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ralph-horne-160543" target="_blank">here</a>.
David Adamson is emeritus professor: Social and Community Policy, The University of South Wales and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-adamson-259956" target="_blank">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation.
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