Portfolio
Projects
We have delivered Affordable Housing site-specific strategies as part of planning amendments. We have done this work for councils and for a large number of landowners and developers across Victoria, supporting successful rezonings and the embedding of achievable social and affordable housing delivery arrangements.
Our work includes client education, negotiations with councils, modelling of options, expert witness presentations and planning control and section 173 agreement drafting and negotiation. We have worked with some of Australia’s largest property developers as well as smaller boutique developers.
Director Kate Breen has presented as an Expert Witness to Planning Panels Victoria and Standing Advisory Committees specifically in relation to proposed Affordable Housing inclusions as part of planning scheme amendments. We have represented both Councils and developers in these processes. Our advice has been adopted on major sites such as Preston Markets.
We have developed a number of Social and Affordable Housing Strategies and Action Plans for a local councils in Greater Melbourne and regional Victoria. This includes undertaking research and analysis on Affordable Housing need, undertaking stakeholder engagement, identifying priority locations and housing typologies required to address demand, and tailoring actions that align with Council roles and responsibilities and locational specific demand and opportunities. Director Kate Breen has extensive experience presenting to Councils and the community to support understanding of the challenge and how local council’s can respond.
We have applied our deep understanding of the development process and Social and Affordable Housing delivery to support Local Councils to investigate the potential of their underutilised or vacant land for an Affordable Housing purpose. This includes coordinating planning and design consultancies, supporting feasibility assessments and providing advice on options to release the land such as gifting or leasing. We have developed tender documentation for Councils to then release the site/s for community housing sector consideration.
We have worked closely with a number of community housing organisations to assist in strategy development and preparation of submissions for State Government funding or government land opportunities. Our work has included support for large consortia of private sector finance and developers partnering with registered housing agencies to develop large scale Affordable Housing proposals for government.
We have worked with a number of not-for-profit organisations, including but not limited to community housing organisations to support the development of organisational strategies and create site-specific project plans.
Working with CHIA-Vic and Municipal Association of Victoria, and in partnership with Moores Legal, we developed a resource kit to support local councils understand and assess options for releasing land for social and affordable housing.
Working with CHIA-Vic and Municipal Association of Victoria, and in partnership with Moores Legal, we developed resources designed to assist local councils, landowners / developers and community housing organisations to negotiate and structure successful social and affordable housing agreements through the planning system.
We have reviewed and provide advice on Council developed Social and Affordable Housing Strategies, providing expert support to ensure strategies are up-to-date with government funding programs and criteria, accurately reflect the data on demand, and capture the range of actions local councils could take to address this issue.
Client: Infrastructure Victoria
Project: Development of an Affordable Housing needs assessment to meet the identified infrastructure need to ‘provide better access to affordable housing for vulnerable Victorians’.
Affordable Development Outcomes Report to Infrastructure Victoria
Infrastructure Victoria Strategy greatly informed Infrastructure Victoria’s work with Affordable Housing supply considered a top three priority for the State.
Client: Victorian Social Housing Reform Consortium
Project: Support the development and delivery of a strategy to transform the public housing system in Victoria, attract new capital investment and provide housing pathways for consumers.
We have developed tender documentation of Local Council’s seeking to include an Affordable Housing requirement within their land release and assessed and provided advice on applicant responses to the criteria. This has included advice to City of Melbourne on delivery of Affordable Housing within stage 1 of the Queen Victoria markets development (Munro site). We have also supported clients to respond to Council tender processes for land – supporting the applicants to ensure the address criteria and maximise chances of securing the opportunity.
Director Kate Breen has presented at major conferences nationally and internationally over many years. She tailors presentations to the audience and topic. Kate has also sat on a range of panel discussions for major industry bodies such as the UDIA and Property Council of Victoria and facilitated panels and conference workshops.
Client: Department of Health and Human Services
Project: Development of a framework to achieve affordable housing outcomes on surplus government owned land.
Publications
Churchill Fellowship Report – Investigations into the use of inclusionary zoning requirements to support the delivery of affordable housing (US, UK, Canada), October 2015
See publication
Submission to Plan Melbourne Refresh consultation, December 2015
See article
Article on “Planning for Liveable Cities” published in the Australasian Housing Institute HousingWorks Journal, December 2015
See article
Article for the Community Housing Federation of Victoria News on inclusionary zoning practice internationally and how the learnings can be applied in Victoria
See article
Presentations
Kate has presented to the National Housing Conference in 2015, 2017 and 2022.
Kate has presented to a number of conferences both in Australia and internationally.
Kate has presented to and participated as a panel member for a number of industry events, including for the UDIA, Property Council, and Planning Institute of Australia.
Kate has prepared and given evidence as an Expert Witness for planning panels/standing advisory committees in relation to major planning amendments in Victoria.