Empty Houses, Affordability. Addressing A Complex Problem

QUESTION: On the complex topics of housing affordability, homelessness and housing supply why doesn’t Government spend more time investigating the fact of so many empty houses? In February this year a local Melbourne newspaper reported more than 3000 vacant homes in the Maroondah area that could house everyone on the public waiting list. NGO Prosper Australia claims through its research over 8 years that:

“Investors are holding onto them for capital gains and future developments…
Vacant properties impose a needless economic burden. Residents and businesses are forced to leapfrog vacancies to lesser sites at great cost.”

Affordability Radio Forum In Melbourne

Jon Faine’s ABC Radio 774 Affordability Forum was recently addressed by representatives from the Property Council, Melbourne Uni’s School of Urban Design and Anglicare. After a most informative discussion and talkback session it ended with a proposition that organisations outside politics/government would be best coming up with some recommendations.

Urban Planner Dr Carolyn Whitzman made 3 points worth following up:

• Canada has had a low a low income housing tax credit since 1983 which works very well.
• Australia could look more favourably at housing co-ops which work well overseas.
• Communities should investigate doing something themselves (circumventing politics).

We Could Tax Homes Left Vacant For 12 Months Or More

Tony Keenan from Launch Housing, a social housing initiative, says:

Taxing Victorian homes left vacant for 12 months or more would make housing more affordable and raise money for social housing programs…

Prosper Australia’s 2015 Speculative Vacancies report, which looked at water usage, suggested that almost 25,000 dwellings were demonstrably unoccupied across Melbourne in 2014…

There is a housing crisis in Melbourne and those unoccupied homes should be available on the rental market.”

Check out the good work being done by Launch Housing