While many global cities including New York and London, regard affordability as a critical component of urban infrastructure, in Sydney, affordable housing has struggled to gain policy traction. Wider questions about the capacity for the existing housing stock – particularly larger homes in outer suburban locations – to accommodate population growth and change – remain unanswered.
The Urban Housing Lab@Sydney was initially funded through the Henry Halloran Trust‘s research incubator scheme. Led by Professor Nicole Gurran (urban policy and housing) and Dr Somwrita Sarkar (complex networks, computational models), research fostered within the Incubator connects to wider scholarship on urban governance, planning, infrastructure, the housing market and big-data analytics, while distilling key implications for policy and practice.
The Urban Housing Lab has been able to support three Practitioners in Residence, funded by the Henry Halloran Trust, to undertake a period of research relevant to policy and practice.
Recent News
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Urban Housing Lab responds to proposed Housing SEPP
Members of the Urban Housing Lab, Professor Nicole Gurran, and Drs Caitlin Buckle, Catherine Gilbert, Pranita Shrestha and Zahra Nasreen have responded to the NSW Government proposed Housing SEPP, up for submissions until the 29th August 2021. This submission builds on a previous submission for the renamed Diverse Housing SEPP. You can read the full…
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Upcoming Event: COVID-19 in India and Nepal
The event aims to create awareness and feature local, grassroot level responses to COVID-19 in order to open avenues to share ideas, engage, provide technical expertise, support or resources especially for students and professionals in India and Nepal and those abroad who are separated from loved ones at home through lockdowns and border closures. This…
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Urban Housing Lab 2020 Highlights
See the highlights of 2020 from the Urban Housing Lab. Despite the challenges of remote teaching; home schooling; social isolation; and separation from overseas and interstate family, Urban Housing Lab researchers continued to produce important work and contribute to wider policy development and public debate – Housing Lab Co-Founder Professor Nicole Gurran
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Call for Papers – Sessions run by Co-Lab members at the Joint IAG/NZGS Conference
Urban Co-Labs members Dr Sophia Maalsen, Dr Dallas Rogers and Dr Caitlin Buckle are running sessions for the Institute of Australian Geographers and New Zealand Geographical Society combined Conference to be held at the University of Sydney from 6–9 July, 2021. Sessions titles and details are below: Disrupting Housing: digitalization and innovations in housing Sophia…
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Submission to DPIE re Housing Diversity SEPP
Urban Housing Lab researchers Dr Laurence Troy, Dr Catherine Gilbert, Dr Caitlin Buckle, Professor Nicole Gurran and Professor Peter Phibbs recently made a submission to the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment in regards to the proposed Housing Diversity SEPP, with submissions closing Sep 9, 2020.
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Outcomes of the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP – research findings and discussion
With a new Housing Diversity SEPP on the table, members of the Urban Housing Lab will be sharing recent research on outcomes of the current Affordable Rental Housing SEPP and discussing implications in light of the proposed changes. Dr Laurence Troy will present research on boarding house development outcomes of the ARHSEPP published in a series…
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Two AHURI COVID-19 Projects Underway
Congratulations to Urban Housing Lab members Caitlin Buckle, Professor Nicole Gurran, Dr Catherine Gilbert and Henry Halloran Trust Director Professor Peter Phibbs, who are involved with two new AHURI COVID-19 research projects. Caitlin Buckle leads the project ‘Marginal housing during COVID-19‘ with Nicole Gurran and Peter Phibbs and in collaboration with Associate Professor Tess Lea…
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ARC Linkage Success
Congratulations to Dr Sophia Maalsen and Dr Dallas Rogers for a successful ARC Linkage grant application, collaborating with Dr Desiree Fields and Tenants NSW, Tenants QLD and Tenants VIC! The project aims to show how digital technologies are transforming the private rental sector in Australia. This project should provide significant benefits for Australian renters and…
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For pandemic control, housing is the best medicine
In a co-authored piece for the Croakey, our Chair of Urbanism, Professor Nicole Gurran, discussed the challenges those in overcrowded and unstable housing situations face following COVID-19 isolation advice. Access the full article here.
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Homelessness and overcrowding expose us all to coronavirus. Here’s what we can do to stop the spread
Professor Nicole Gurran and Professor Peter Phibbs offer solutions to ease overcrowding and house homeless populations during the coronavirus pandemic in a co-authored piece for The Conversation. Access the full article here.
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Why housing evictions must be suspended to defend us against coronavirus
Dr Sophia Maalsen and Dr Dallas Rogers argue for a government-imposed eviction moratorium in a co-authored piece for The Conversation. Access the full article here.