Private Developers and the Public Good: Can a Socially Constructed Market Deliver Quality Affordable Housing for Australian Cities?

ABSTRACT

Australian government housing policy relies on the private housing industry contributing to the supply of affordable and social housing in cities. However, the diminishing availability of suitable housing for many households raises the question of whether the private housing industry is interested in, or capable of, catering for this market segment. Engagement would require both inducements and regulation, partnerships with government and non-profit actors, and an alignment of attitudes regarding the need and responsibility for providing dwellings in housing sub-markets. This paper explores perceptions and strategies of actors regarding the role for the industry in the context of Melbourne.

澳大利亚政府的住房政策中，私营房地产业是城市可付担住房和社会住房的一个重要来源。然而，对许多家庭来说，合适的房源越来越少，人们不得不问私营房地产业是否有兴趣，或者是否有能力，满足市场这一块的需求。对这一块应兼顾刺激和规管，需要与政府及非营利机构合作，并要调和对住房次级市场中的需求和提供居所责任的不同态度。本文探讨墨尔本不同方面对房地产业角色的不同认识和策略。

KEYWORDS:

• Neoliberal housing policy
• affordable housing partnerships
• investment
• deliberative collaboration
• Melbourne

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Melbourne [Carlton Connect Initiative 2014–2015].