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Government urged to include retirement units in housing targets to address supply challenges

  • May 13 2024
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Government urged to include retirement units in housing targets to address supply challenges

By Newsdesk
May 13 2024

The Retirement Living Council (RLC), the national peak body for retirement and seniors' housing accommodation, is calling on the government to include retirement units in the Prime Minister's target to build 1.2 million new homes by 2029, ahead of this week's Budget.

Government urged to include retirement units in housing targets to address supply challenges

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  • May 13 2024
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The Retirement Living Council (RLC), the national peak body for retirement and seniors' housing accommodation, is calling on the government to include retirement units in the Prime Minister's target to build 1.2 million new homes by 2029, ahead of this week's Budget.

Government urged to include retirement units in housing targets to address supply challenges

RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon emphasized the importance of addressing the challenges associated with Australia's rapidly changing demographic landscape and the need for age-friendly housing supply.

"Every day that passes without seniors' housing accommodation being recognised in these targets is a big 'swing and miss' for the Australian Government when they should be looking for a home run," Mr Gannon said.

The RLC made five key recommendations to the government in its pre-budget submission earlier this year, with the inclusion of retirement units in the housing targets being a crucial point.

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Recently, the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council (NHSAC) forecast that the government will fall short of its target by nearly 300,000 homes.

Government urged to include retirement units in housing targets to address supply challenges

Mr Gannon pointed to the State of the Housing System report released by the NHSAC, which highlights the benefits of rightsizing, the housing risks associated with an ageing population, and the advantages of retirement communities in providing in-home care and support services.

"As it stands, units in retirement communities aren't recognised in these housing targets, but the group tasked with delivering them is spruiking their many and varied benefits," he said.

To maintain existing market demand, the retirement living industry requires 67,000 units to be built by 2030, which would represent 22 per cent of the gap identified by the NHSAC. These units are 48 per cent more affordable than comparable homes and can help the government solve Australia's housing supply problem.

The RLC is urging the government to take action and include retirement units in its housing targets to effectively address the challenges posed by an ageing population and the growing need for age-friendly housing solutions.

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