Housing Forum 2024

The City of Hobart held a Housing Forum on December 16, 2024, focused on addressing housing affordability and supply challenges through strategic planning, development, and collaboration. Key discussions centered on the barriers to medium and high-density housing development, including high construction costs, labor shortages, regulatory complexities, and financing difficulties. Panelists highlighted the potential of government-owned land development corporations to de-risk projects and the importance of incentives such as reduced parking requirements and inclusionary zoning to promote affordable housing. The forum also explored innovative housing models like build-to-rent and socially sustainable developments led by organizations such as Nightingale and Housing Choices, emphasizing the need for government subsidies and coordinated funding to scale affordable housing. Stakeholder engagement and community collaboration were underscored as critical to overcoming stigma and facilitating development. The forum concluded with calls for integrated strategic planning, infrastructure support, and workforce investment to enable a more diverse and sustainable housing market in Hobart and Tasmania.