About The Conference
Building for Diversity
NATIONAL HOUSING CONFERENCE PERTH 2005
Building for Diversity
At Western Australia's state-of-the-art Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
2-Day Conference 27-28 October 2005
With
Pre-Conference Tours on Wednesday 26th
Australia is a rapidly evolving and an increasingly diverse society. As the structure and needs of the Australian community change so too must housing markets and housing policy responses.
Australia's fourth National Housing Conference program will address the many dimensions of Australian diversity; consider the housing market and policy implications of this diversity; and attempt to formulate considered and well-researched responses to this diversity.
The Building for Diversity emphasis encompasses the major issues of demographic change and economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Topics to be addressed include:
- Urban renewal and revitalisation
- Designing for different lifestyles and family types
- Sustainability of new homes and retro-fitting existing housing stock
- Making higher density housing acceptable to local communities
- Designing for diversity: Indigenous people, people with disabilities, young people and immigrants
- Financial viability of public and community housing
- Housing affordability for lower-income Australians
- Housing assistance and affordability for seniors
THEMES
Planning and Designing for Diversity- Meeting the DiverseHousing and Community Needs of Indigenous Australians
- Challenges for Public and Community Housing
- Market and Policy Responses to Changing Socio Demographics
WHO ATTENDed
- Housing Industry representatives such as:
designers, planners, property developers, architects, and
representatives from the real estate and construction industries - Community housing and not-for-profit service providers
- Policy makers and academics
- Researchers in housing or related fields
- Government policy representatives
- Housing related Financiers and Economists
- Local Government
- Social Planners and Community Workers
- State Housing and Planning Agencies
- Tenancy Advocates and Support Workers
The Conference will bring together a wide range of social housing practitioners, policy makers, and housing advocates for lively debate on a broad range of issues facing Australia's housing system.
ISSUES
Planning and Designing for Diversity
Diversity (People) : Designing for changing demographics and lifestyle and supporting households with priority needs such as ageing, physical and mental disabilities and new arrivals – those with differing lifestyles and family backgrounds. - Diversity (Place) : One-size-fits-all planning and design solutions don't suit everyone in all geographical locations – how do we accommodate the needs of regional communities in planning and design?
- Sustainability : Sustainability of new homes and retrofitting of existing housing stock; Redevelopment and regeneration of communities; Higher density housing and local communities; Safety and security inside and outside the home; The impact of Sea Change on destination communities.
- Affordability : Developing new housing products to assist households into homeownership and supporting lower income households in the rental market.
Meeting the Diverse Housing and Community Needs of Indigenous Australians
Demographics : Meeting the coming population boom in both aged and young Indigenous people; Designing dwellings that meet the needs of Indigenous households in diverse settings. - Communities : Poverty in Indigenous communities – linking housing, health, economic development and employment responses; Capacity building in remote communities; The future direction of Indigenous Community Housing Organisations; Local/interstate leadership for communities; The role of local government in Indigenous communities; Community and land tenure and native title.
- Access and Sustainability : Improving Indigenous access to home ownership by Indigenous people; Accessing mainstream housing assistance programs; Improving sustainability of Indigenous tenancies in public and private rental tenancies.
- Homelessness : Different lived homelessness experiences; Improving the provision of services to homeless Indigenous people.
Challenges for Public and Community Housing
- Access : Who is, and who should be, accessing social housing, is targeting appropriately structured? What is being done about the mismatch between supply and demand of housing? Building an asset base for community housing – why it matters! Indigenous access to mainstream community housing – what needs to be done?
- Finance and Regulation : Community housing as a social service or a social business, what is the future? Attracting private finance and investment into the social housing sector – how do we “sell” social housing to investors? What are the implications of community housing organisations providing affordable housing? Where does accreditation and regulation leave smaller community housing providers?
- Housing Assistance and Non-shelter Outcomes : What does public and community housing mean to tenants, and are we delivering it? What is the impact of housing assistance measures on labour market and social participation? What are the real benefits of social housing? What could make the social housing system work better? Anti-social behaviour, what are the right responses?
- Homelessness and Marginal Housing : State/Commonwealth Homelessness Strategies - are they improving outcomes for homeless people? What is the future role of Lodging Houses? Gate-keeping and homeless services – exclusion or inclusion?
Market & Policy Responses to Changing Socio Demographics
Housing Careers : Changing demographics and housing formation patterns and their impact on housing careers; Will young people be able to access home ownership in the future? The role of local, state and federal governments and industry in the supply of affordable housing; Where will the baby boomers want to retire to and to what sort of housing? - Markets and Governments : Is the market responding adequately to the changing nature of Australian housing careers? What is the role for governments in attempting to ensure that Australians realise their housing goals?
- Older Australians: How are housing preferences, choices and decisions of older Australians changing? Are markets and governments reacting strongly enough to these changes? What range of policies will enable the supply of housing to meet the needs of older people? What housing assistance measures will promote housing affordability for older Australians? How can housing policies best be integrated with aged care policies?
- The role and future of private rental encompassing issues of tenure. diversity, boarding houses and caravan parks