Is deteriorating housing affordability reducing lower income central city worker supply and productivity?

The study examines whether the diminishing supply of affordable housing options for lower income central city workers is having an impact on central city businesses and on the overall productivity of those economies

Regulation of residential tenancies and impacts on investment

This research reviews the evidence-base about factors impacting and shaping rental investment; reviews the state of residential tenancies laws across Australia; and presents options for a renewed reform agenda. The regulation of the Australian private rental sector (PRS) directly affects about 40 per cent of Australian households: the 26 per cent who live in private rental housing as tenants, and the 14 per cent who own it as landlords. Reform of regulation of residential tenancies processes are underway or have recently concluded in different jurisdictions. These processes, however, have mostly been uncoordinated at a national level and significant divergences and gaps have opened up in the laws. The research finds little evidence that Australian residential tenancies law has impacted investment in private rental housing. On the contrary, Australian residential tenancies law has accommodated, even facilitated, the long-term growth of the PRS and of its particular structure and dynamic character. However, the small-holding, frequently-transferring character of the PRS presents basic problems for tenants trying to make homes in it. The research also presents a number of issues that could be considered as part of a national agenda for residential tenancy law reform

Planning for lower-income households in privately developed high-density neighbourhoods in Sydney, Australia

In Australia, as in many other countries, private high‐density housing is typically marketed as the domain of middle‐ and higher‐income residents. But, in practice, it accommodates many lower‐income households. These households often live in mixed‐income communities alongside wealthier neighbours, but, because of constrained budgets, they rely more heav‐ ily on access to community services and facilities. This has implications for public infrastructure planning in high‐density neighbourhoods where private property ownership dominates. In this article, we examine two neighbourhood case stud‐ ies within the same local government area in Sydney that have sizable populations of lower‐income households living in apartments, but which provide markedly different day‐to‐day experiences for residents. We consider the causes of these varying outcomes and implications for neighbourhood‐scale planning and development. The article argues that coordi‐ nated and collaborative planning processes are key to ensuring that the needs of lower‐income households are met in privately developed apartment neighbourhoods

Selling Newcastle to the World, or to Newcastle? A case study of the official and unofficial rebranding of Newcastle, NSW

The State of Australian Cities (SOAC) national conferences have been held biennially since 2003 to support interdisciplinary policy-related urban research. This paper was presented at SOAC 6, held in Sydney from 26-29 November 2013. SOAC 6was the largest conference to date, with over 180 papers published in collected proceedings. All papers presented at the SOAC 2013 have been subject to a double blind refereeing process and have been reviewed by at least two referees. In particular, the review process assessed each paper in terms of its policy relevance and the contribution to the conceptual or empirical understanding of Australian cities

Surfing the Yinzernet: Exploring the Complexities of Place Branding in Post-industrial Pittsburgh

Recent years have seen a proliferation of independent urban representations in the media. From hipster sketch shows such as “Portlandia” to place “demarketing” Websites poking fun at low-profile cities, these portrayals often combine parody and pride in their representation of local quirks. This trend can be seen as a form of do it yourself (“DIY”), place branding, which both reflects and reacts against the growth of urban branding in recent decades. This article investigates this trend through an examination of two online webseries that parody and celebrate the perceived eccentricities of Pittsburgh’s yinzer (working-class) culture. Adopting an interdisciplinary lens, we consider a range of cultural phenomena related to these online representations, including place character, nostalgia and diaspora. Pittsburgh has undergone a significant economic transition over the past half-century, with a decline in heavy industry and growth in “post-industrial” sectors such as education, technology and health. Accompanying this economic transition has been a social shift, as white-collar workers supplement the traditional working-class base, and an image shift, as officials rebrand the city to highlight new clean, green, high tech and high-culture developments. In this context, we argue that online representations of yinzer culture – the “yinzernet” – function as both DIY urban branding and as a reflection of local reactions to Pittsburgh’s economic, social and brand transition

Regional Australia: Opportunities and Futures

Regional Australia is enjoying renewed interest from policymakers, especially in parts of the country where major metropolitan areas are once again grappling with population pressures. With this interest in mind, this special issue brings together papers that examine opportunities and innovations emerging from regional areas across Australasia. In doing so we have sought to feature a range of stories about where the regions are heading, to ensure that the rich diversity of our regional areas is not overlooked in big picture debates over strategic planning and population trends

Unruly urban brands: how informal image-makers are reshaping post-industrial Detroit and Newcastle

Long frustrated by negative portrayals of their cities in the media and public sphere, local stakeholders in Detroit, USA and Newcastle, Australia have undertaken various efforts designed to reshape the image of these transitioning post-industrial cities. This thesis explores the current state of promotional reimaging practices in the two cities through detailed case studies, with a focus on efforts by individuals and organizations outside of government. While entrepreneurial reimaging strategies have been a feature of post-industrial urban governance for decades, much of the related academic research has focused on top-down urban branding campaigns coordinated by local officials. This urban branding literature provides only a partial explanation for the reimaging practices now occurring in Detroit and Newcastle, where government-led rebranding has been limited for financial and political reasons. This thesis complements the existing literature by exploring the reimaging role being played by unofficial participants like entrepreneurs, artists, bloggers and DIY urbanists. To develop a broader perspective on how reimaging is occurring in these cities the thesis looks beyond the existing urban branding literature to consider other strands of relevant urban theory, from everyday urbanism to place theory to network analysis. Building on this wide-ranging theoretical foundation, the case studies draw on in-depth interviews to provide a detailed examination of reimaging efforts in Detroit and Newcastle. In particular, the case studies explore who is engaged in trying to reshape the image of these cities, what motivates them to become involved, and what tools they are employing to achieve these goals. The cases also explore the narratives being promoted by participants, and how these reflect different possible futures for the two cities. In these ways the cases identify important connections between contemporary reimaging practices and other current urban trends including DIY urbanism, place-making and social media use. The research also sheds light on the layered nature of reimaging practices and how they reflect ongoing urban debates over gentrification, social justice and democracy versus privatization. It provides a new perspective on the complex dynamics of cities in transition, highlighting the need for a broader understanding of the role of reimaging efforts in reshaping these places