The NSW government will ramp up a program of encouraging major housing development near rail stations in Sydney, as well as pushing for new schemes that make it easier for renters to buy their own property.
The program of fostering developments near rail stations will take place through an expanded "priority precincts" program – an existing scheme under which areas such as those around stations on the new rail line to Sydney's north-west have been rezoned for new housing.
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Gladys Berejiklian's priorities as Premier
Gladys Berejiklian has made clear her plans as NSW's 45th Premier – but can she pull them off?
And the new schemes to improve housing affordability could include programs such as rent-to-buy, where renters are offered a chance to keep some of the increased value in their home, or a joint equity arrangement, where the government or another institution takes a partial stake in a home.
In an interview, Planning and Housing Minister Anthony Roberts said the government's housing strategy – nominated as a priority by Premier Gladys Berejiklian – would be framed around the principles of affordability, choice and growth.
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"We've got to house people," said Mr Roberts. "This is a crisis. We're almost at the point of no return."
The state government has 11 areas already earmarked as "priority precincts," mostly around rail stations, such as the Sydney Metro NorthWest stations of Bella Vista and Showground.
But Mr Roberts said the government was looking at "up to 20 Priority Precincts, subject to discussions around proximity to transport, and upcoming rezonings".
The minister, who said a housing affordability package of policies would be released ahead of the mid-year state budget, said the multi-lot planning of precincts around rail stations would lead to better designed areas, as well as benefits to home owners.
"One of the things I'm working with the Greater Sydney Commission on is when we go to communities and say there is going to be an increase in population here… we have a compact with them that says we will build the schools, we will build the roads, we will build the infrastructure that goes with this," Mr Roberts said.
He said Landcom, which has been split off from the government developer UrbanGrowth, would play the role of "honest broker" between those selling their properties and developers and planners.
"I want everyone to be winners in this," he said. "If you are going to get your house bought, or you want to sell your house because you actually live near a railway station… I want this to be, and this government wants it to be for those people, to be like winning the lottery."
The role of Landcom, he said, could be in ensuring larger areas are consolidated. This could lead to better design in new developments and better deals for sellers.
"If you are going to be bought out, you are going to get more money if you are in a lot of 20 because of the scale and capacity of a 20-lot size than if you are just one of two or three," Mr Roberts said.
Calls for more co-ordinated policies to address a lack of affordable housing – for renters and buyers – in Sydney have become a steady drumbeat. Sydney councils are increasingly adopting expanded affordable housing policies, and Mr Roberts said it was important that communities retained places for people of all incomes to live.
"Just because you are a police officer starting off or a nurse, why do you have to travel an hour and a half to your shift and then an hour and a half back again? I think we have an obligation around that."
He said priority precincts would also be places where affordable housing models were applied.
"A superannuation company might build a 500-unit development and it could be totally based around one of the schemes," he said. "It could be rent to buy, it could be joint equity. But I think you've got to give the market-place freedom to actually come up with products."
And the minister expressed enthusiasm for suggestions from property developers that extra dedicated affordable housing units – to be rented to key workers at lower than market rates – could be encouraged by allowing developers to build higher. A 10-storey dwelling could be allowed to become 12-storeys, with one of the extra floors reserved for affordable units.
"You build another storey that's yours, and the other storey goes into an affordable housing scheme," he said.