At Urbis, we believe that access to affordable, high-quality housing is a cornerstone of individual wellbeing and community resilience. We recently partnered with Business Sydney to develop a submission addressing the essential worker housing crisis. This submission, developed through a co-design process involving our industry partners, clients, government agencies, developers, community housing providers, industry and peak bodies, and worker representatives, outlines a comprehensive plan to increase the supply of essential worker housing.
The housing affordability crisis is particularly severe for essential workers, such as teachers, healthcare workers, emergency service personnel, and community services providers. These individuals are vital to the social fabric and liveability of NSW, yet they are disproportionately affected by the rising cost of housing.
The problem is further complicated by the lack of a consistent definition of ‘essential worker’, and an insufficient understanding of how factors such as age, income, and household composition influence their housing needs and aspirations.
Our submission proposes a broad definition of ‘essential workers’ as those who cannot perform their jobs from home and must travel to a workplace, regardless of the distance and time between their home and place of work. We also identify three housing typologies that are gaps in the housing landscape: Time critical, Available, and Accessible & affordable.
Our submission outlines a series of recommendations to increase essential worker housing supply. These include leveraging government land, providing targeted incentives, enabling lower-cost construction methods, and refining planning interventions.
Leveraging Government Land
We recommend that all levels of government work together to identify land suitable for essential worker housing. In addition to identifying land, we recommend that the NSW Government collaborate with Landcom and private developers to leverage their expertise, funding, and resources.
Providing Targeted Incentives
To support the participation of essential workers in the housing spectrum, Government needs to provide targeted incentives that support not only an increase in appropriate supply but also provide options and pathways to home ownership.
Enabling Lower-Cost Construction Methods
By enabling lower-cost construction and providing incentives and policy settings that support innovative construction techniques, the Government can accelerate the delivery of fit-for-purpose essential worker and affordable housing options in locations of the highest need.
Refining Planning Interventions
To effectively address the housing needs of essential workers, there is a need to refine and strengthen our planning interventions, ensuring a broader and more consistent approach.
At Urbis, we are committed to shaping the future of our cities and communities. We believe that by working together, we can address the essential worker housing crisis and create a more sustainable and resilient NSW.
We invite you to join us in this endeavour. Let’s collaborate to develop practical, implementable, and effective solutions that ensure our essential workers have access to affordable, high-quality housing.
Download the report today.
