frequently asked question

Why do you hold councils accountable for housing supply delivery?

While it's true that councils themselves do not build housing, this paints a misleading picture of the relationship between local councils and housing supply. 

Through the strategic planning process, local councils create a maximum potential housing capacity through zoning and overlays—this is the on-paper capacity. It is then primarily up to the private sector to build and construct the homes within the zoning regulations. 

However, the specifics matter here, and on-paper capacity can be highly misleading. 

For example, consider an area zoned Neighborhood Residential Zone (NRZ, two-storey limit) which is comprised of 100 detached homes on double blocks. Assuming all blocks are able to be subdivided once, the on-paper capacity for this area would be 200 homes. However, to reach this capacity would require all 100 lots to be redeveloped—a lengthy process to add just 100 more homes.

Meanwhile, a single six-storey development on one double block can deliver upward of 40 homes. This means that just 5 double-blocks zoned for six storeys would have roughly the same on-paper capacity as the aforementioned example of 100 double-blocks zoned NRZ.

It’s in setting these parameters that councils distort the private sector's ability to meet demand.

Another way councils control the private sector's ability to build more homes is through the inconsistent or cynical enforcement of the planning system. While many councillors and the vast majority of planning officers act in good faith, a small number of bad faith or politically captured actors seek to pull every lever possible to block new developments. This creates significant uncertainty within the planning process—adding additional risks and making development more expensive.      

This is the issue with on-paper capacity targets, they can be gamed, and there is no guarantee that they will translate to meaningful material increases in housing supply. This is why we at YIMBY Melbourne advocate for broad upzoning that grants planning certainty for all stakeholders and enables the delivery of homes across all of Melbourne, in the places where people most want to live.

Your hottest YIMBY Queries, Answered

Frequently Asked Questions

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Are YIMBYs aligned with any political parties?
Aren't Melbourne apartments low-quality? Why do you want more of them?
Aren't tax concessions the biggest cause of the housing crisis? Why focus on zoning and planning?
Can't we just keep building greenfield/outer suburban developments?
Can't we just stop foreign investment to combat the housing crisis?
Can't we just stop immigration to solve the housing crisis?
Do you support stronger renter protections?
Doesn't new development just push poor people out of the city?
Don't high permit approval rates show that planning isn't the issue?
How does market-rate housing supply benefit those most in need?
Isn't zoning and planning reform just a giveaway to developers?
Local councillors are democratically elected representatives. What’s wrong with them having final decision-making powers over planning matters?
Loosening planning controls may result in more ugly modern buildings. Shouldn't new buildings be beautiful?
Shouldn't the local community get the final say on what happens in their "backyard"?
There are already so many apartments. Do we need more?
What about parking? Won't new developments create massive congestion in our cities?
What about those one million vacant homes?
What can we do about land banking?
What if I don’t want to live in an apartment?
What's the problem with building setbacks?
Why build denser cities? Isn't it better to decentralise?
Why can't the government just build public housing for all?
Why did rental prices go up during COVID?
Why do you hold councils accountable for housing supply delivery?
Why does YIMBY Melbourne have such a problem with heritage overlays?
Why doesn't YIMBY Melbourne endorse mandatory inclusionary zoning?