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Our affordable housing strategies and plans

Bayside Affordable Housing Strategy 2021

The Bayside Affordable Housing Strategy was adopted in June 2021.

The Strategy has been developed to guide how Council can assist the increase in supply of appropriate and accessible affordable housing in Bayside over the next 4 years. 

The Strategy identifies the actions that Council will undertake to seek more inclusive and affordable developments, provide for effective planning processes to facilitate the increase of social and affordable housing within Bayside as well as more equitable outcomes for the community.

Actions of the Strategy have been categorised under four pillars:

  • Advocacy
  • Partnerships
  • Direct Intervention and support
  • Planning mechanisms

Council is currently preparing a planning scheme amendment to implement relevant actions of the AHS. 

Bayside Affordable Housing Strategy documents:

Bayside Affordable Housing Strategy 2021

Bayside affordable housing background report 2021

Why do we need more affordable housing in Bayside?

Currently there is a lack of affordable housing available to rent within Bayside. In 2016, it was found that 2,769 of the 36,776 households in Bayside were in housing stress. Of the 8,190 households renting in Bayside, 23.7% were in rental stress.

The knock-on effects of a lack of available housing means our residents are at higher risk of going through extreme lifestyle changes when struck with financial impacts such as family breakdown or separation.

High housing costs can also result in households having to – or forced to – forego other essentials such as medication, health visits, food, heating, housing quality, transport and recreational activities that also have a direct impact on physical, emotional and mental health. 

Any of these situations can and do occur within an individual’s lifetime, and they will usually exit this stress by moving to a new house. However, if moving to a new house within Bayside isn’t viable, it means that this household will likely be forced to move outside of the municipality - uprooting their lifestyle and dismantling their support systems contained within the Bayside community.

This transition to more affordable suburbs outside of Bayside diminishes the diversity within the community and can cause negative impacts.

Lower income households make fundamental contributions to the economic and social life of the municipality and should not be forced out of the Bayside community due to the lack of affordable housing.

To increase the availability of affordable housing within Bayside, Council are:

  • Preparing a planning scheme amendment to implement the relevant actions of the Affordable Housing Strategy 2021.
  • A founding member Council of the 'Regional Local Government Homelessness & Social Housing Group Charter' which advocates for affordable housing solutions.
  • Advocating for planning permit applicants to register with the not for profit 'Home for Homes' initiative.  

Regional Local Government Homelessness & Social Housing Group Charter 

Thirteen councils representing 2 million residents in Melbourne’s east and southeast have joined in a unified voice calling for urgent action for more social housing to end homelessness.

They want more housing as the first step to address the often complex social and health needs of the region’s most vulnerable community members.

The alliance of councils has adopted a Charter to guide this campaign. The Charter was determined following a forum of CEOs and senior staff from all councils, initiated by Monash Council in November 2019 and attended by housing providers, peak bodies and the State Government.

The Regional Local Government Homelessness & Social Housing Charter 2020 prioritises three regional commitments which the 13 councils will act on:

  • Work in partnership with Federal and State governments, and public and private sector partners in a coordinated approach to deliver meaningful outcomes to increase the provision of social housing and respond to homelessness in east and southeast Melbourne
  • Scope land within each LGA that has the potential to be repurposed for adaptable housing needs
  • Advocate for inclusive housing growth including mandatory inclusionary zoning

Homes for Homes created by The Big Issue

A group of community leaders, including The Big Issue’s CEO, learnt of a forward thinking developer in the US who had found a way to address homelessness, by raising funds through the sale and resale of its properties. It was an ingenious plan and its potential is enormous.

Inspired, The Big Issue set about tailoring the initiative so the entire community could link arms on scale here in Australia. Homes for Homes is the result of more than ten years of planning, consultation, development and independent reviews, in the hope that everyone can feel safe, secure and housed.

Details on the Homes for Homes initiative.

Find out more

For more details on the Affordable Housing Strategy you can email planningstrategy@bayside.vic.gov.au or call us on 9599 4441.

Information on Homelessness in Bayside – support networks and ways to help can be found on Homelessness in Bayside webpage.

Explore the housing story for the City of Bayside.