• Urban Development Institute of Australia

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21 August 2007The UDIA has prepared this report as a contribution to the debate on solutions to address the housing affordability crisis in Australia today. Commencing with an analysis of housing affordability and the importance of home ownership, this report analyses affordability using the UDIA/Matusik Affordability Measure.

Research was undertaken across 70 designated population centres in Australia with centres being categorised as being either affordable, having some constraints, being seriously constrained or unaffordable on the basis of the capacity of households on average incomes to purchase specified percentages of the housing sold in their local area.

This report also examines the current situation in each mainland Australian state and the Australian Capital Territory from the perspective of each state branch. It also details strategies recommended by UDIA state branches to address diminishing levels of affordability.

The UDIA has analysed a broad range of options that would improve affordability if implemented. This report makes a series of recommendations that have arisen out of those options and these are detailed in the report. Based on these findings, it is the view of UDIA is that there is an overwhelming need for the development and implementation of strategies and plans to deliver joint national/state initiatives to improve housing affordability in Australia.