Low density living is not the answer

Mateo Szlapek-Sewillo has written an opinion piece titled Low density living is not the answer in InDaily.

As a likely future entrant into the housing market, I think that rumours of the demise of this lifestyle are greatly exaggerated — and that’s a shame. Low-density housing is not a viable solution for the complex demographic and social challenges which Adelaide faces now and in the future.

Yet current policies only exacerbate this problem. Land release is a labyrinthine process and only possible to a point. Initiatives such as the First Home-Owner’s Grant and the relaxation of credit constraints are intended to encourage lower-income families to purchase, but these policies have had mixed success. By effectively subsidising house prices, they contribute to price inflation. The positive effects of these policies would be magnified if it was easier to spend that same money on, say, a suburban apartment. To at least have the choice is of paramount importance, and effectively underlines what it is I’m arguing for.