CEDA and Urbis partner on Progress 2050 to explore housing solutions
Urbis has partnered with the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) as part of their Progress 2050 agenda to explore and discuss practical solutions to the housing crisis.
Our first collaboration, A middle path: How gentle density can help solve Australia’s housing crisis, highlights the potential of “gentle density” — small-scale increases in housing in existing neighbourhoods — to deliver more homes where people want to live.
The report shows that if just one in four standalone homes in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth were redeveloped into dual occupancies, housing supply could grow by nine percent — close to one million new homes nationally.
This approach makes better use of existing infrastructure and transport, while offering more diverse and attainable housing options.
International examples, such as Auckland’s successful planning reforms, demonstrate that enabling medium-density housing can deliver results quickly.
To achieve similar outcomes in Australia, the report calls for:
- Large-scale planning reform to allow by-right development in suitable areas.
- Federal and state incentives to overcome regulatory and local barriers.
- Community engagement to build support for medium-density living.
This is the first in series of reports between CEDA and Urbis which will invite discussion, debate, and thought leadership throughout 2026 around how more homes can be provided for Australians.
