Mitchell Shire Affordable Housing Strategy 2023

The draft strategy commits to a range of proposed actions including:

1. Advocating for additional funding for affordable housing and that a community development approach is taken to the redevelopment of any existing sites.
2. Seeking opportunities within the planning system to negotiate affordable housing outcomes with developers and through the growth area planning processes.
3. Partnering with a range of local community housing providers and other key stakeholders to assist in the creation of more affordable housing.
4. Offering incentives to developers to secure an increase in land that can be allocated to affordable housing.

Every person has a right to adequate housing and an adequate standard of living. That right is set out in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and Australia is a party to the agreement.

While there may not be a legislative right to adequate housing in Australia, there is a moral, social, and economic imperative to ensure that everyone in the community can access safe, secure, affordable housing.

A person who is in insecure, inadequate or unaffordable housing cannot fully participate in the community and in the economy. It impacts on their ability to successfully complete education or training programs, to secure and maintain a job, or to pay for vital health care. It limits their capacity to contribute to community cohesiveness.

There is a housing crisis in Australia. And Victoria has the lowest rate of social housing of any State.

In Mitchell Shire, thousands of households are in housing stress. They pay more than 30% of their household income on housing costs, leaving not enough for other expenses like transport, education supplies, health, food, and utilities.

As the population grows in Mitchell Shire, and without meaningful intervention, the growing demand for housing to meet the needs of people who are struggling to participate in the private housing market will only continue to increase.

This is a challenge that we cannot solve on our own. It requires commitment and funding from State and Federal governments.
As a local government, we are committed to doing what we can to facilitate and advocate for the delivery of affordable housing.

The term ‘housing affordability’ usually refers to the relationship between expenditure on housing (prices, mortgage payments or rents) and household incomes. The concept of 'housing affordability' is different to the concept of ‘affordable housing’, which is housing that is appropriate for the needs of a range of very low to moderate income households and priced so that these households are also able to meet other basic living costs such as food, clothing, transport, medical care and education. As a rule of thumb, housing is usually considered affordable if it costs less than 30% of gross household income

The approach being taken is consistent with the key strategic objectives contained within the Mitchell Shire Community Vision (Mitchell 2050), Council Plan and the Public Health and Wellbeing Plan. The specific objectives that are relevant are as follows:

• Community Vision
  • Theme 1: Vibrant Communities
  • Theme 4: Shaping Neighborhoods
• Council Plan
  • Built Environment: Priority 5
    • Plan, advocate for, and deliver infrastructure to meet the increasing service needs of all our communities
• Public Health and Wellbeing Plan
  • Liveable and Thriving Goals
    • Diverse housing options across Mitchell Shire that meet community needs
    • The growth Mitchell is experiencing bring health and well-being benefits for the whole community