Victoria's peak body for community housing has celebrated the state government passing planning laws that aim to deliver more affordable homes.
On Wednesday, the Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Bill 2025 passed both houses of parliament, including amendments which legislate mandatory affordable housing requirements into Victoria's planning system.
The change gives local councils and the Planning Minister the ability to require social and affordable homes to be built in new housing developments.
"It's really encouraging to see the state government delivering new mechanisms that aim to build more desperately needed social and affordable housing for Victorians doing it tough," Community Housing Industry Association Victoria (CHIA Vic) acting CEO Jason Perdriau said.
"The housing crisis continues to hold its grip on Victoria with the state still experiencing a huge shortfall in rentals that are affordable for people on the lowest incomes.
"The need for more social housing is urgent as more than 146,000 Victorian households continue to experience homelessness, housing stress and live in overcrowded homes."
The Victorian government is setting up a committee made up of stakeholders, councils and experts to help design regulations that will put this new mechanism into practice.
"Good consultation will be essential to deliver meaningful change," Mr Perdriau said.
"We look forward to working with the committee and with government to make sure these changes deliver strong affordable and social housing outcomes.
"The work now begins to turn this reform into action where councils, in partnership with not-for-profit community housing organisations, can deliver the affordable homes that their communities need."
