Key Worker Housing

Polis Partners works with governments across Australia on the strategy, policy, operations, delivery and funding of key worker housing. Work has included:

• Identifying key worker housing constraints across metropolitan, regional and rural settings, focusing on the service delivery and workforce impacts created by housing market failure and reduced affordability for essential workers (e.g., health, education and emergency services).
• Developing evidence-based options to expand supply and improve access, combining place-based problem definition with whole-of-system planning.
• Government business cases, financial and economic advice on programs that quantify unmet demand and downstream impacts on service delivery, cost–benefit and financial analyses (including consumer and producer impacts), and assessing delivery mechanisms and pathways for scalable pilot programs.
• Evaluating alternative state-led delivery and management models (e.g., government-enabled build-to-rent, public asset manager approaches, partnerships with community housing providers, and direct government delivery) using a structured framework covering feasibility, scale, equity and financial sustainability, all supported by stakeholder consultation.
• Assessing targeted mechanisms to support key workers into home ownership (e.g., shared equity and concessional finance), testing affordability thresholds and demand, reviewing comparable programs, and exploring integration into residential developments.
• Mapping the legislative frameworks that guide state government provision of key worker housing.
• Testing and optimising the financial sustainability of key worker housing operating models.

We have given our clients evidence-based recommendations with implementation roadmaps (highlighting risks, enablers and resourcing), shortlists of preferred investment options, and changes to operating and delivery models to support budget, program and delivery decisions.

Our worked has contributed to major public investment decisions (including an allocation of approximately $250 million for new key worker housing in regional NSW) and is informing the development of alternative policy and delivery models intended to strengthen key worker workforce attraction and retention, and improve continuity of essential services, particularly in regional areas.