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                    Current affordable housing projects

                    Aerial view of suburb with low and mid-rise housing,, with city high-rise buildings nearby in the background.
                    All Melburnians deserve access to safe and affordable housing.

                    We believe affordable housing is a fundamental human right and essential infrastructure that leads to better emotional, social, and economic outcomes for all community members.

                    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Anyone can need affordable rental housing during their life. Affordable housing is for anyone in our community who is part of a very low, low or moderate income household.

                    Our research shows that for every $1 invested in affordable housing, the community benefits by $3 due to worker retention, educational benefits, enhanced human capital, health cost savings, reduced family violence and crime. It is an investment in both essential infrastructure and people.​

                    ​The City of Melbourne is a national leader in local government responses to affordable housing.

                    ​We work across the entire housing spectrum and support people who need temporary housing responses and secure long-term housing.​​

                      Diagram representing the housing spectrum, which comprises: Rough sleeping, Homelessness, Rental housing and ownership. See summary for a longer description.
                      The housing spectrum

                      The housing spectrum

                      Diagram representing the housing spectrum, which comprises: rough sleeping, homelessness, rental housing and ownership. See summary for a longer description.

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                      Summary

                      Temporary housing responses to homelessness include crisis accommodation, rooming houses and transitional housing. Secure long-term housing includes public housing, community housing and private rentals. Home ownership is the end of the housing spectrum.

                      The housing spectrum

                      Diagram representing the housing spectrum, which comprises: rough sleeping, homelessness, rental housing and ownership. See summary for a longer description.

                      Summary

                      Temporary housing responses to homelessness include crisis accommodation, rooming houses and transitional housing. Secure long-term housing includes public housing, community housing and private rentals. Home ownership is the end of the housing spectrum.

                      We’re working to:

                      • Use Council-owned land for affordable, long-term rental housing and accommodation. 
                      • Leverage the planning system to facilitate affordable housing with developers.
                      • Advocate for systemic change.
                      • Support our community’s most vulnerable members, including people sleeping rough.
                      • Attract funding to increase the supply of social and affordable housing.

                      Affordable housing projects

                      • We are investigating converting a Council-owned car park site at 44-60 Curzon Street, North Melbourne, into affordable housing. Visit Participate Melbourne for further information and how to get involved in the project.

                      • We are delivering 48 affordable housing units alongside Queen Victoria Market and 40 affordable housing units at the Boyd development in Southbank.

                      People's Panel on Affordable Housing

                      The People’s Panel on Affordable Housing was held in late 2023.

                      Forty community members were recruited to participate in the panel, which involved the panel participating in four in-person sessions to learn from experts and people with lived experience of affordable housing. The panel then created a report containing 11 recommendations for Council regarding Affordable Housing in the city.

                      These recommendations were shared with Council and the public at a special Future Melbourne Committee meeting in March 2024.

                      To learn more, visit Participate

                      More information
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