More ‘Family-Friendly’ Apartments Needed: Report

Well-located, higher-density housing is needed for families raising children in apartments in Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales, the James Martin Institute (JMI) for Public Policy proposes.

In the “Planning for the inclusion of families with children in apartments” report, JMI Policy fellow and author Sophie-May Kerr, reveals the challenges experienced by families amid the housing shift in Australia.

Families with children account for almost 44 percent of all families in apartments nationwide, according to the 2016 Census.

In New South Wales, 68 percent of families live in two-bedroom apartments, 61 percent of these families have one child, while 32 percent have two children, according to the report.

There are a total of 150,000 children living in NSW apartments.

Unfortunately, some families face unsuitable living conditions like size and layout issues, inadequate storage, a lack of family-friendly communal spaces, and concerns surrounding health and well-being.

Related Stories

Failure to cater to these families’ needs for improved design and delivery of apartment housing will significantly impact the success of compact cities, according to Ms. Kerr.

“With 1 in 4 apartments in Greater Sydney now home to families with children under the age of 15, it is critical that more attention is paid to family-friendly housing,” Ms. Kerr stated in the report’s executive summary. “We need to see a shift in thinking from a focus on ‘housing’ to a focus on ‘homes.’”

This shift requires the government and private sector to consider apartment housing not just as investments, or a means to increasing housing supply, but also perceive it as an essential infrastructure and viable long-term homes.

Ms. Kerr’s report recommends key policy reforms, including the development of family-friendly apartment targets, expansion of government housing and non-market housing, revision of housing policy, guidelines, and criteria, support of existing apartment dwellings, and improvements on rental property standards.

Drawn on stakeholder insights, the report coincides with initiatives underway across NSW, according to JMI CEO Libby Hackett.

The Minns Labor government plans to accelerate its promise to deliver new high- and mid-rise homes over the next 15 years by rezoning 39 transportation hubs statewide.

It has also provided $520 million within the Tier One Accelerated Precincts to ensure that the proposed homes will be constructed in places where people prefer to live.

“The simple truth is we don’t have enough well-located homes for the people who make up our city,” NSW Premier Chris Minns said. “I want NSW to be a state that is affordable for the next generation of kids with great transport options to make work and life easier.”

Ms. Kerr states that the construction of apartment dwellings that accommodate the needs and preferences of a diverse range of households should occur simultaneously with state government plans.