Landcom Key WorkerHome Ownership PositionPaper

The Challenge

Housing affordability remains a critical issue in Greater Sydney, particularly for key workers such as teachers, healthcare professionals, and emergency service staff. While government efforts have focused on rental supply, limited support exists for affordable home ownership. Landcom initiated a pilot to explore financial and policy mechanisms that could help key workers transition from renting to ownership—supporting workforce retention and long-term community stability.

The Action

Polis Partners supported Landcom in evaluating options to improve key worker access to home ownership. The position paper assessed:

• Financial models including shared equity, concessional loans, and interest rate discounts
• Market demand and affordability thresholds for key workers
• Policy approaches from other jurisdictions, such as deposit schemes and tax incentives
• Economic modelling to test feasibility and long-term affordability
•  Integration opportunities within a Landcom residential project aligned with NSW housing objectives
  
  

The Results

The analysis showed that targeted financial mechanisms could enable key workers to purchase homes without compromising financial stability. The findings informed Landcom’s internal strategy and government engagement, supporting the design of a scalable pilot program. The work contributes to NSW’s broader housing strategy by identifying practical pathways to improve ownership accessibility for essential workers.