RENTAL RESCUE

Council land proposed as housing crisis fix

THE Hobart City Council will consider a proposal to sell or redevelop some of its prime land as a way of easing the city’s rental property shortage.

A report to be considered by the council’s planning committee tonight looks at visitor accommodation and housing supply and the potential for residential development of council properties.

The report suggests council: COMMISSION University of Tasmania research of housing market and rental needs; PURSUE the sale and redevelopment of one or more council properties for residential accommodation; and PROVIDE a summary of the issues to the major political parties for consideration.

It is estimated rental vacancy rates are less than 1 per cent in Hobart and the council wants to determine how much of a role the rise in the number of properties listed on shortterm accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Stayz has contributed.

The council approached UTAS to discuss potential research around housing demand, supply and pricing.

Tourism Research and Education Network director Anne Hardy has since submitted a research proposal to the council, which, if commissioned, would try to identify if traditional long-term residential rental stock had been converted to short-term accommodation, also known as peer-peer-to-peer accommodation.

Dr Hardy put forward two options — either a $62,000 one-year or $92,000 three-year assessment of the impacts of peer-to-peer accommodation on the supply and demand for housing.

She writes in her proposal that some formorm of monitoring “was critical given the lack of concrete data, the developing nature of the Airbnb phenomenon and the potential for significant challenges arising from insufficient or inappropriate levels of regulations”.

“Hobart needs robust evidence upon which to base its response to Airbnb and similar platforms, as this will ensure that the city is able to meet the needs for residents and visitors into the future,” she wrote.

Dr Hardy would lead a team of researchers that would include housing policy expert Kathleen Flanagan and Institute for the Study of Social Change director Richard Eccleston as well as renowned scholars from across the country.

The council report to be considered tonight said a review of its property holdings had been done and identified those potentially suitable for residential development.

Sites included the carpark of the Tasmanian Hockey Centre in New Town, Condell Place carpark behind the North Hobart restaurant strip and the Dunn St carpark next to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

The issue of the impact of visitor accommodation on the rental market was brought forward to council by Alderman Philip Cocker earlier this year.

Ald Cocker said yesterday a long-term study by the univer- sisity may not be “particularly helpful” and would push for the council to do something more practical.

“The one question we do need answered is what is the current conversion rate of former rental properties to shortterm accommodation — that’s the piece of information that’s lacking and I don’t think that requires a year-long project and tens of thousands of dollars,” he said.

“We have to have a serious discussion about whether we are happy to have areas such as Battery Point and Sandy Bay free of long-term renters because that’s what is happening.

“If we don’t want that to happen, then what are we going to do about it.”

Ald Cocker said the potential redevelopment of the Dunn St carpark should be seriously considered.

“I don’t know how far you can dig down there, but it’s certainly an under-used space.”