2021 National Housing Research Program

The 2021 National Housing Research Program commenced in April 2021. The Program includes two AHURI Inquiries and nine research projects.

An important new direction for AHURI is an Inquiry looking at the use of circular economy dynamics in Australian housing. This concept involves as much re-use and recycling of materials and resources as possible, and the research examines its potential in four key housing issues including neighbourhood scale developments, apartments, retrofitting and the use of building materials.

Other research projects include an Inquiry into financing first home ownership that will investigate the economic, social, demographic and policy developments that have affected people becoming home owners; research to develop a cost-benefit evaluation framework to aid stock matching challenges in social housing allocations; developing national predictive models of the impact of life events on housing outcomes; and investigating the options for a national tenancy reform agenda.

The 2021 NHRP projects are:

Inquiry into financing first home ownership: opportunities and challenges
Led by Dr Stephen Whelan at the University of Sydney

This Inquiry is supported by modules on:

• Transitions into home ownership – a quantitative assessment  (led by Dr Stephen Whelan at the University of Sydney)
• Assisting first home buyers: an international review (led by Professor Hal Pawson at the University of New South Wales)
• Pathways to home ownership in an age of uncertainty (led by Dr Laurence Troy at the University of Sydney)
• Financing first home ownership: modelling policy impacts at individual and market levels (led by Professor Rachel Ong at Curtin University)

Inquiry into housing in a circular economy
Led by Professor Ralph Horne at RMIT University

This Inquiry is supported by modules on:

• Sustainable housing at a neighbourhood scale (led by Prof Stefanie Dühr at the University of South Australia)
• Sustainable apartment housing: new build and retrofit (led by Associate Professor Hazel Easthope at the University of New South Wales)
• Sustainable social housing: solutions for large-scale retrofit (led by Professor Emma Baker at the University of Adelaide)
• Building materials in a circular economy (led by Professor Tony Dalton at RMIT University)

Innovations in stock matching and allocations for social housing
Led by Dr Iris Levin at RMIT University

Regulation of residential tenancies and impacts on investment
Led by Dr Chris Martin at the University of New South Wales

Innovative home ownership models in Australia
Led by Dr Jasmine Palmer at RMIT University

Predicting risk to inform housing policy and practice
Led by Dr Milad Ghasri at the University of New South Wales

The impact of the pandemic on the Australian rental sector
Led by Professor Emma Baker at the University of Adelaide

Crisis accommodation in Australia: now and for the future
Led by Dr Deb Batterham at Swinburne University

Private sector involvement in social and affordable housing supply
Led by Professor Nicole Gurran at the University of Sydney

Business models, consumer experiences and regulation of retirement villages
Led by Dr Max Travers at University of Tasmania

Homelessness policy and systems for people with disabilities
Led by Dr Mary-Ann O’Donovan at the University of Sydney

Funded COVID-19 research projects

Renting in the time of COVID-19: understanding the impacts
Led by Professor Emma Baker at University of Adelaide

Supporting Australia’s housing system: modelling pandemic policy responses 
Led by Professor Chris Leishman at University of Adelaide

The lived experience of COVID-19: housing and household resilience
Led by Professor Ralph Horne at RMIT University

Responding to the pandemic, can building homes rebuild Australia? 
Led by Professor Steven Rowley at Curtin University

Marginal housing during COVID-19 
Led by Ms Caitlin Buckle at University of Sydney

Pathways to regional housing recovery from COVID-19 
Led by Dr Julia Verdouw at University of Tasmania

Policy coordination and housing outcomes during COVID-19 
Led by Dr Chris Mason at Swinburne University of Technology

Post pandemic landlord-renter relationships in Australia 
Led by Dr David Oswald at RMIT University
 

Visit our Research in progress page of the website to see all current projects underway.