The impacts of a lack of affordable housing options include; lost productivity and wages; issues with workforce attraction and retention; poor health and wellbeing; and a reduction in social connectivity and cohesion. Facilitating an increase in housing supply and delivering specific affordable housing outcomes needs to be a major priority if we want cities to optimally function, economically, socially and environmentally.

In London, New York, Washington D.C, Montgomery County, Toronto and Vancouver mandatory and voluntary land use policies that require developers to deliver a percentage of affordable housing within their market development, commonly referred to as ‘inclusionary zoning’, and policies that require developers to provide a financial contribution towards affordable housing, are generally accepted. Governments, communities and the private and not-for-profit sectors acknowledge that these approaches are an important means of supporting a more sustainable community.

A range of inclusionary housing policies are also in place in these cities, that are both supporting improved housing supply, as well as integrated affordable housing outcomes, potentially at a greater scale and impact than specific inclusionary zoning requirements. Inclusionary housing and zoning policies have not solved the affordability crisis in these cities, however they are important tools in supporting greater housing supply and affordable housing choice. In Victoria, Australia there are very few policies and programs in place to adequately respond to the growing affordability crisis facing cities and communities.