The Victorian government's approach to affordable housing is raising serious concerns, as it appears to fall short of addressing the state’s deepening housing crisis. Recently, land in Preston designated for 140 social and affordable homes was sold to a private developer, with only 14 homes classified as “affordable.” Similarly, the former VicRoads headquarters in Kew will be sold for 500 homes, with just 10% designated as affordable.

In the midst of Australia’s worst housing crisis, with over 58,000 households on Victoria’s public housing waiting list, such actions seem insufficient. Victoria’s definition of "affordable" housing—where rent is 90% of the market rate—means little in a city where median rents are already unaffordable for many.

Instead of leveraging public land to build much-needed social housing, the government is selling it off with minimal affordable housing requirements. This approach ignores successful international models, where private developers are mandated to allocate a significant portion of new housing to social and affordable units, ensuring a true mix of incomes and addressing the housing crisis more effectively.