Missing Middle Housing Targets for 40,000 new Melbourne homes every year

Upzone inner-middle Melbourne and build 40,000 homes a year

YIMBY Melbourne’s new Missing Middle Housing Targets report shows where Victoria should build 50% of its total 80,000 homes-per-year target.

Using demand-based modelling, YIMBY Melbourne has identified the LGAs where dense housing is most in-demand and therefore most viable to be built.

But this will only become possible if dense housing is broadly unbanned, and six-storey missing middle housing is allowed to be built around all of Melbourne’s 1,992 train and tram stops.

Demand-driven housing targets enforced with carrots and sticks

The planning system lacks accountability. No council has an obligation to ensure they’re not restricting supply, and that homes are actually getting built. We seek to fix that with a model for housing targets using both carrots and sticks.

Carrots:

• Councils who enable enough housing to be built should receive cash grants from the Victorian Government

Sticks:

• Councils who continue blocking new homes in places where people want to live should some textpay an annual ‘Housing Remedy’ fine to the state
• become ineligible for some infrastructure grants
• have all permits delegated with limited appeal rights to council staff

The best way to lower a housing target is to enable more homes to be built

YIMBY Melbourne has developed a demand-based model. High home prices indicate places where people most want to live, and where there is a shortfall in supply.

This means that the best way for an LGA to reduce its housing target is to make housing cheaper. And the best way to make housing cheaper is to make it abundant.

This system of enforced housing targets is designed to create a virtuous cycle that drives down prices across the entire city, creating a more affordable and equitable Melbourne for all.

Quotes attributable to Jonathan O’Brien, Lead Organiser

“YIMBY Melbourne’s motto from the very beginning has been: build more homes where people want to live. Our demand-driven model for housing targets is based on making that motto a reality.”

“If LGAs are worried about how high their target is, then we have great news for them: the best way to reduce your target is to make housing cheaper. And the best way to make housing cheaper is to make it abundant.”

“The choice for councils is clear: let more homes get built and get paid, or refuse to do your part and get penalised.”