Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

Figure 30 - ACT Housing Market Price Distribution16%14%12%2000-012005-062009-1010%8%6%4%2%0%$0 $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000Source: ACT Planning and Land AuthorityNote: Excludes Commercial, rural, land sales and partial tranfersThe ongoing challenge is to further slow the movement of the chart to the right by achievinga better balance of supply and demand of land.Ironically, increasing the number of people who are able to afford a house and land packageincreases the pressure on the Government to put more land to the market to meet the demandit is facilitating. While this might be seen as somewhat self-defeating, the alternative isunmet housing demand, an ever-tightening rental market and longer public housing queues.While the achievements outlined above have made a positive impact, the unfortunate realityis that housing affordability remains a significant issue. Existing administrative arrangementsand statutory processes constrain the capacity to deal with housing affordability. The processitself is complex and lengthy, making implementation of policy directions difficult and timeconsuming. Moreover, the governance arrangements for selling land do not always accordwith the Government’s policy priorities.It is also important to note that declining housing affordability goes beyond just the inabilityto achieve the great Australian dream of buying a home. Other dimensions of the housingaffordability paradigm include social and supportive housing. For many, it can mean thedifference between living on the street and having a roof over your head.Supportive housing provides services to live a full life as well as housing services.Organisations like common ground 409 based in South Australia but with a new developmentrecently opened in Queensland - are organised around the belief that homelessness can beended rather than simply providing more temporary housing. The Common Ground model ispermanent, safe, affordable housing that includes onsite support to rebuild lives and a socialmix of tenants (50:50 low wages and unemployed). Housing is provided in parallel withpersonal support to create pathways to independent and fulfilling lives.409 Seehttp://www.commongroundadelaide.org.auSustainability, Housing Affordability and Transport: 309