Go to Arrow

meaningful policy for meaningful change

Policy advocacy for state & local reform.

A better Melbourne is possible. A Melbourne that is affordable, liveable, and sustainable. A city that is walkable, accessible, and which gives everyone access to the amenity-rich areas that make living here so special.

Creating housing abundance will take a lot of work. It will require reform across planning, governance, and taxation. It will force us to take a serious look at how we use, value, and control the use of land in this city.

You can see our policy outputs below and, if you want to get involved, reach out to our team at contact@yimby.melbourne.
Go to Arrow

Building a liveable, affordable, and sustainable city for all

Melbourne's Missing
‍Middle.

Melbourne’s density drops precipitously from high-rises to single-family homes, with very little medium density between.
Melbourne’s Missing Middle’s signature recommendation—a new Missing Middle Zone—would enable six-storey, mixed-use development on all residential land within 1 kilometre of a train station and 500 metres of a tram stop—building an interconnected network of 1,992 high-amenity, walkable neighbourhoods.
‍
Melbourne’s Missing Middle envisions Parisian streetscapes across all of inner urban Melbourne, along our train and tram lines and near our town centres. Gentle, walk-up apartments, abundant shopfronts, sidewalk cafes and sprawling parks replacing unaffordable and unsustainable cottages. 
‍
The Missing Middle is the most desirable, walkable urban form, typified by inner Paris, and it should be legal to build in our most desirable, economically productive areas.
Read the full report

An accountable system for housing abundance

Missing Middle
‍Housing Targets.

‍YIMBY Melbourne’s plan to implement housing targets for a bigger and better Melbourne involves four key steps:

1. Upzone inner-middle Melbourne, increasing zoned capacity by 7.7x
2. Publish annual binding housing targets for the 19 LGAs where demand for infill housing is highest
3. Enforce housing targets through revenue-neutral ‘carrot and stick’ incentives
4. Deliver 40,000 new homes per year across inner-middle Melbourne
‍
We know we need more homes where people want to live, which is why our housing target model is demand-driven. That means that targets are higher when demand outstrips supply, and targets are lower when supply meets demand.

So, the best way for any Council to lower their housing target is simple: build more homes where people want to live.

Read the full report

A model for a greener, greater melbourne.

Missing Middle
‍Street Trees

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is when building more homes where people want to live.

Over the next ten years, YIMBY Melbourne recommends:

  • Plant 60 new street trees for every 100 new dwellings
  • Invest $1,840 per new dwelling in public greening over 30 years
  • Grow 136 MCGs of new street tree canopy
Read the full report
Read the Press Release

declaring war on vibes-based rules

Upper-level Setbacks Delenda Est

This is not just a harmless piece of prescriptive design regulation: upper-level setbacks are terrible for both environmental sustainability and housing affordability.

They have almost no benefits, and are making our city worse.

In the context of dual climate and housing crises, it’s time we abolish unnecessary upper-level setbacks.

Read the full report
Read the Press Release

ongoing Research and policy engagement

Research & Policy Submissions

Submission to the Plan for Victoria

It is time for a planning system that, across all of Melbourne and indeed all of Victoria, says yes in its backyard.

August 30, 2024

10 mins

Submission to the Inquiry into Climate Resilence

As the effects of climate change begin to induce more frequent and extreme weather conditions, it is imperative to make our housing and communities more resilient to these significant challenges.

August 8, 2024

10 mins

Submission to the National Urban Policy (via AHNA)

It's time to make urban planning accountable – 14 recommendations for better Australian cities.

July 4, 2024

20 minutes

Submission to the Inquiry into Local Government funding and services

Getting to a more fiscally sustainable and pro-growth local government sector.

July 2, 2024

10 minutes

Submission to to the Minimum Standards for Rental Properties and Rooming Houses

YIMBY Melbourne strongly endorses the new Minimum Standards for rental properties and rooming houses. But loopholes need to be closed, and better information needs to be made available for renters.

June 24, 2024

5 mins

Submission to the Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee Inquiry into the rental and housing affordability crisis in Victoria

For a bigger, better, and more sustainable Melbourne, housing abundance, via inner-city densification and building up, rather than out, is the only viable path forward.

August 6, 2023

10 minutes

Submission to the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee Inquiry into Land Transfer Duty Fees

We extend our strong support for replacing current land transfer duty fees with a broad-based tax on the unimproved value of land.

April 14, 2023

10 minutes

Advocacy in your back yard

Get Involved

Have a specific issue you believe needs advocacy?
Get in Touch