The End of Affordability Part 1

The End of Affordability is a grassroots documentary, and has been divided into 5 parts for viewing on YouTube, each part approximately 5 minutes in duration.

The aim of the film, produced in late 2006, is to provide an overview of the problems associated with what is commonly known as "urban consolidation", with particular reference to the reduction in housing affordability resulting from this disastrous planning policy.

Many governments (including the NSW State Government), environmentalists, planners and business interest have advocated this approach for more than a decade. However, not a single successful example of urban consolidation exists in the world, and there are now a growing number of people and organisations coming out against what is a fundamentally flawed and socially destructive planning ideology.

Dr Tony Recsei, President of Save our Suburbs (SOS) is interviewed about the problems of urban consolidation. Five major issues or "fallacies" are discussed, with the reduction in housing affordability being the biggest problem now facing the first home buyer.

In addition, the fight by CAPO and its thousands of supporters against a major apartment development in the Sydney suburb of Putney is highlighted as a typical example of what is happening in many suburbs and towns around Australia. The democratic rights of citizens and their local councils are being overruled by centralised State Government planning policies. The end result is that the ability of the average individual or family to own and live in their own home is under more threat than at any time in the last 60 years.

The critical problem of housing affordability is confirmed by The National Affordable Housing Forum held at Old Parliament House Canberra on 23-24 July 2006, where it concluded that:

"During the last decade or so,

• average house prices relative to income have almost doubled
• the proportion of first homebuyers has fallen by about 20%
• average monthly payments on new loans have risen by 50%
• the proportion of low-rent homes has fallen by at least 15%
• opportunities to rent public housing have fallen by at least 30%"

For more information about this documentary please contact: Dr Tony Recsei, President of Save our Suburbs on:

• Phone: (02) 9487 2061
• Email: trecsei@bigpond.net.au

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• housing
• affordability
• urban
• consolidation

[avocate201]

Wow. This sounds like a lot like what happened during the U.S. housing/mortgage crisis, especially in California. The population was heavily centered in cities like L.A. and San Francisco to begin with, and more people flocked to those cities over the years for job opportunities, driving up the demand for housing and housing costs. The problem wasn't a shortage of land or housing. The problem was a lack of affordable housing.

[bambulshakibaei]

Public transport now is slower and less frequent than it was in the 1940s, but that is because population density in the 40s was much, much higher than it is today because cars were not yet affordable for anyone but the rich. After WW2, the spread of the automobile allowed massive urban sprawl at low densities which led to many of problems we have today.

Densification is an attempt to return to the more sustainable and affordable lifestyle that was promoted in this video!!

[icanonlybejm]

music too distracting

[STEWARTGLASSnet]

thanks for posting this series.

So far a I am aware, I am the only candidate to call for the removal of the urban boundary noose in the 2010 SA state elections.

[littlerabbitish]

Disagree with the assesment of density of Hong Kong. lived there 2 years. Density in HK fosters many opportunities for different social links and social activities. I can sit down for yumcha at 3am in HK, but struggle to get anything after 5 in parts of Sydney. didnt need a car in HK because things were located nearby.Why are we so afraid of density, and excactly who will lose in a densifying city?Is it fear of density or diversity? Or the social and class challenges of diversity?????

[lehong1963]

PM Rudd good man, he make i rich i have. 10 house now and goverment give me money, he namber 1 man. assie not smart, my children have house for first home byer, get good rent money. Mr rudd numbar 1, you have respect for boss.

[Steven2690]

Very true

I am praying Kevin Rudd gets rid of the grant, because all its doing is inflating prices.

I heard on the news a few nights ago that the real estate institute or something like that are saying prices will start to climb next year in Sydney

PFFT

In the middle of a recession when people loose their jobs

Yeah and Pigs Fly

[Wildhiland]

You are absolutely correct. The land shortage argument is completely laughable in relation to Australia. Unfortunately, its young people like you that are being made to suffer because of this speculative greed, and totally misguided urban consolidation fairytale. Wherever possible, every Australian should have the opportunity to live in their own home. Investment should be encouraged in productive industries, not in rampant tax payer subsidised property speculation.

[Steven2690]

2.

Take a country like the Netherlands that has 16million people compared to our 22million[almost the same]

The netherland is less than half the size of Tasmania [which is also all green with no desert] Now they have a shortage of land.

There is NO shortage of land in this country trust me you are kidding yourself if you think there is

[Steven2690]

1.

You know even if you only inculde the costal strip from Melbourne to Cairns thats still a MASSIVE amount of Land we have,

you have a look at the size of Sydney on google Earth, it would fit hundreds probably thousands of times into the green coastal habital strip all up the east coast