February 12th, 2008
Respected US professor Rachel Bratt, who is coming to Sydney this month for the National Housing Conference, has called for a radical rethink in the way housing is provided for lower income families.
“We need to think about future housing projects for lower income families in a holistic sense, which encompasses economics, social needs and impacts on the environment,” said Professor Bratt.
Professor Bratt from the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, at Tufts University in the United States, will make the key note address at the 5th National Housing Conference in Sydney from 20 to 22 February 2008, the first in a wide range of presentations and forums by international and Australian housing experts and academics.
Mike Allen, Director General of Housing NSW, who is co hosting the conference along with the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), said housing is a key issue facing government and the housing sector across the world.
“Having international experts such as Professor Bratt speak at the Conference is important so we can understand what is happening overseas as well as discuss trends and policy options in Australia”.
Dr Ian Winter Executive Director of AHURI said the Conference will dig deep into a wide range of issues.
“Experts will be looking at access to affordable housing, rental accommodation, public housing opportunities for the socially disadvantaged, as well as financing models and policy implications.
“If we are to address these issues we need to bring all industry experts together to discuss solutions”.
Other international speakers include David Mullins, Professor of Housing Policy at the University of Birmingham, John Doling, chair of Housing Studies at University of Birmingham, UK, and Steve Pomeroy from Focus Consulting and Senior Research Fellow, from University of Ottawa.
John Doling has researched widely on housing issues in the EU and will give a comparative analysis of housing as a form of wealth.
“In many respects, Australia leads the way in studying the significance of housing wealth as a contribution to the welfare of individuals,” said Mr Doling
Steve Pomeroy has researched and assisted the non-profit and cooperative housing approaches in Canada and will give an overview on financing rental and affordable housing in Canada.
Prominent Australian social researcher Hugh Mackay, will highlight changing demographics that impact on housing, and will make a key address on the ‘many meanings of home’.
Professor Julian Disney, National Chair of Anti-Poverty Week and Director of the Community Tax Project, will discuss private rental incentives and says “the highest priority for improving housing affordability for low income people concerns rental housing. As well as strengthening public housing, a very high priority is to attract large institutional investors into financing low-rent housing through incentives.”
The housing industry will provide a private sector perspective at the conference with presentations by Hamish Macdonald MD and CEO of Becton Property Group, and Property Council NSW Chairman Ken Morrison.