Council adopted the Monash Affordable Housing Strategy at its meeting on 26 September 2023. Read the report and decision on Council's website.

Following feedback from the community and housing industry, Council adopted the Monash Affordable Housing Strategy (AHS) at its meeting of 26 September 2023.

Rising house prices and rents, and living costs, coupled with limited investment in social and affordable housing have contributed to sharply declining housing affordability.

Key initiatives in the Monash Affordable Housing Strategy include:

• Requiring an affordable housing contribution when land is being rezoned to facilitate residential development, or in residential developments of 20 or more dwellings.
• Considering the application of an inclusionary zoning requirement for affordable housing when planning for activity centres.
• Advocating for an inclusionary zoning requirement for affordable housing in the precinct planning for the Suburban Rail Loop Station Precincts.

The lack of housing that is affordable to a broad range of our community affects us all, whether you are a business is trying to attract local staff, someone wanting to live close to older parents, a young person moving out of home, or an average family trying to make ends meet. The more that is spent on housing costs, the less families have to spend in other parts of our community.

The 2021 Census highlighted that in Monash:

• Almost 1 in 8 households were experiencing housing stress
• 9,400 households who rent and had very low, low or moderate incomes needed housing assistance
• Nearly half of households in housing stress were very low income households

The AHS outlines both the need for and social and economic benefits of for affordable housing in Monash and sets out actions to increase the provision of affordable housing in Monash.

Whilst State and Federal governments are primarily responsible for the provision of social housing and the mechanisms (or levers) affecting housing affordability including government investment, taxation, and direct funding policy decisions, there is a growing role for local governments to give voice to the issues affecting their communities.

Read the AHS and accompanying report to Council.