Linear Algebra Representation of Necker Cubes I: The Crazy Crate

We apply linear algebra to the study of the inconsistent figure known as the Crazy Crate. Disambiguation by means of occlusions leads to a class of sixteen such figures: consistent, complete, both and neither. Necessary and sufficient conditions for inconsistency are obtained

Linear Algebra Representation of Necker Cubes I: The Crazy Crate

We apply linear algebra to the study of the inconsistent figure known as the Crazy Crate. Disambiguation by means of occlusions leads to a class of sixteen such figures: consistent, complete, both and neither. Necessary and sufficient conditions for inconsistency are obtained

Housing Stakeholder Preferences for the "Soft" Features of Sustainable and Healthy Housing Design in the UK.

It is widely recognised that the quantity and sustainability of new homes in the UK need to increase. However, it is important that sustainable housing is regarded holistically, and not merely in environmental terms, and incorporates elements that enhance the quality of life, health and well-being of its users. This paper focuses on the "soft" features of sustainable housing, that is, the non-technological components of sustainable housing and neighbourhood design that can impact occupants' health and well-being. Aims of the study are to ascertain the relative level of importance that key housing stakeholders attach to these features and to investigate whether the opinions of housing users and housing providers are aligned with regards to their importance. An online survey was carried out to gauge the level of importance that the key stakeholders, such as housing users, local authorities, housing associations, and developers (n = 235), attach to these features. Results revealed that while suitable indoor space was the feature regarded as most important by all stakeholders, there were also a number of disparities in opinion between housing users and housing providers (and among the different types of providers). This implies a scope for initiatives to achieve a better alignment between housing users and providers

Australia’s COVID-19 pandemic housing policy responses

This research reviewed Australia’s COVID-19 housing policy responses to better understand their intervention approach, underlying logic, short and long term goals, target groups and level of success. It considered literature and policy from Australia and a small number of international comparator policies; conducted online surveys of landlords and of economists; and consulted key stake holders. Given Australia’s federated system of government, considerable differences quickly emerged between intervention approaches across states and territories. This was also driven by the extent to which different jurisdictions were impacted by the spread of the virus, the extent and frequency of lockdowns, and damage to state/local economies. The national and state policy measures implemented to support home ownership achieved the desired goal of providing short-term stimulus to the residential building sector and support to the broader economy. However, a range of anticipated and unforeseen consequences have precipitated as a result of concentrated demand-side subsidies, low interest rates and flexible lending conditions. The establishment of an agile infrastructure to support information sharing will support more effective and innovative housing policy development in the future. The state-to-state infrastructure and approaches that were developed rapidly and which supported jurisdictional responses to COVID-19 provide a template for a shelf-ready policy-sharing practice that warrants supported development across governments. This could usefully include local government as well as state and territory and national tiers of governance

House builder networks and residential land markets

The commercial prospects of speculative housebuilders depend crucially on successful land acquisitions. This paper presents new evidence revealing the importance housebuilders attach to networks with other important actors in securing future land supplies. Since networks depend on trust, reputation and voluntary collaboration, they indicate the importance of social relations within the industry. The paper argues that UK speculative housebuilders rely more on networks than markets to source land and that they structure those networks to enhance their own competitive positions. Reflecting Granovetter’s belief in the strength of weak ties, the paper emphasises the breadth not depth of housebuilder networks and contends that social relations within the industry are primarily dependent on pragmatic considerations of mutual self-interest

Rental Insights A COVID-19 Collection

This Collection offers insights from twenty of Australia’s leader academics and thinkers into the survey results of 15,000 Australian rental households. The Collection draws on data from The Australian Rental Housing Conditions Dataset funded by the Australian Research Council in partnership with six Australian universities as well an additional AHURI funded COVID-19 module

Housing supply and suppliers:Are the microeconomics of housing developers important?

This special issue of Housing Studies features six papers that were originally presented in September, 2012, at the New School in New York City at a conference titled "After the Crisis: Housing Policy and Finance in the U.S. and the U.K." sponsored by the Housing Studies Charitable Trust and the Rockefeller Foundation, the conference brought together scholars and practitioners from the US and the UK to discuss several topics involving housing finance, homeownership and low-income housing subsidies.In this paper, I review the US, UK and international literature on the responsiveness of housing supply to demand. This is a well-developed area of the literature, but I put forward two new arguments: that developers face downward sloping demand curves in the housing market, and that housing developers as firms are sufficiently heterogenous that their output decisions cannot be generalised. I draw on the international literature but use the recent UK experience as a lens, arguing that the post Barker review planning policy and housing supply reforms did not yield as much additional housing supply as had been hoped and expected by policy markets and the housing development industry itself. After introducing two specific propositions, I present new statistical estimates that are at least highly suggestive that firm-specific factors are of importance in understanding supply responsiveness.Chris Leishma

Understanding the Role of New Housing Supply Through Macro, Micro and Behavioural Perspectives

This chapter focuses on the new-build sector of the owner-occupied housing market. It intends to unpack what is meant by ‘housing supply’, emphasising that new-build housing supply is only one element of supply. The chapter sets out one view on the state of the art in understanding new-build housing supply in both macro- and micro terms. It concentrates on dispelling common errors in understanding by defining and exploring separate components of housing demand and supply. The chapter is written with an emphasis on understanding microeconomic and behavioural perspective on the behaviour of housing and land markets, and developer behaviour. It argues this to be important given the relatively new nature of these strands of the literature, and the growing awareness of their importance given that housing development is arguably the most ‘policy accessible’ sector of the housing system.</p