Local governments are instrumental in ensuring local residents are able to access a range of diverse housing options based on their needs. “While national and state planning policies and initiatives are required to help address the issue (of affordable housing), the diversity of housing needs and varying local housing market conditions meant that affordable housing strategies and their implementation often need to be locally driven” (Gurran, 2008, p. 5). Local Planning Schemes and Affordable Housing Strategies are therefore very important to facilitate affordable housing at a local level.

This guide is a resource to assist local governments to develop an Affordable Housing Strategy to ensure the adequate provisioning and diversity of affordable housing. The guide includes a range of tangible measures councils can use to achieve more favorable housing options for their residents. The guide explains what an affordable housing strategy is and why they are important for local governments; how to undertake a housing market analysis and read demographical data; and how to turn this analysis into strategies for action to facilitate more affordable housing. The ultimate aim of the guide is to create a dynamic Affordable Housing Strategy tailored specifically to individual council needs.