CHIA has developed a National Plan for Affordable Housing that sets targets to guide investment and action over the next decade.

Download the National Plan here.

The four key objectives are:

  • enough housing to meet Australia’s needs
  • housing that is affordable for renters and home-buyers on low to moderate incomes
  • a national housing market that is efficient
  • a diverse housing profile that suits people at different stages of life.

The plan calls for action from the following key players.

Commonwealth Governments

  • appoint a Federal Housing Minister
  • a long-term national housing plan for Australia
  • a National Housing Planning Council
  • reform taxes and use the savings for affordable housing
  • promote competition and choice in social housing
  • reform Commonwealth Rent Assistance
  • fill the funding gap between operating costs and rents from low income households
  • a single national regulator of all social and affordable housing
  • reform land supply and planning systems
  • make suitable government land available for affordable housing.

State and territory governments

  • better use of planning tools to deliver affordable housing
  • inclusionary zoning with a minimum targets
  • replace stamp duty on residential property with land tax
  • strengthen tenancy regulations
  • make suitable government land available for affordable housing development as an equity partner with community housing organisations
  • transfer public housing stock to community housing operators
  • separate funding, regulatory and the housing delivery functions.

Local government

  • develop housing strategies to protect existing low-cost housing
  • support affordable housing in land use policies
  • encourage diverse housing forms suitable for people at different stages of their lives
  • increase density in middle ring suburbs
  • identify land suitable for affordable housing
  • contribute land for affordable housing as an equity partner, or on long leases, in developments with community housing organisations
  • develop more efficient, transparent and equitable infrastructure funding mechanisms
  • offer rates concessions to community housing organisations.

Financial services industry

  • develop lending products that support shared equity home purchases
  • improve accessibility of banking services to all Australians, including Indigenous people
  • educate itself about the benefit of doing business with community housing organisations.

Property development and construction industries

  • bring more diverse and affordable housing product to the market
  • use good design to improve liveability and reduce the lifetime costs of housing.

Community housing industry

  • build on its proven success in using commercial approaches to meet its social purpose
  • undertake co-investment or joint ventures with governments as equity partners
  • strengthen relationships with local government.