Housing crisis: Why it is out with the NIMBYs and in with the IMBYs

Forget NIMBY. A top urban planner says IMBY could be the solution to Australia’s housing and cost of living crisis. But the rent for some Aussie ‘granny flats’ will blow your mind.

Forget NIMBY. A top urban planner says IMBY could be the solution to Australia’s housing crisis.

Mike Day of urban design firm Hatch says IMBY (In My Back Yard), as opposed to NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard), could be the missing piece of the puzzle needed to solve the housing crunch and cost of living crisis.

The urban planner argues that the IMBY homes concept goes beyong a traditional ‘granny flat’, with retrofitted dwellings spanning studios, an annex, a unit above a garage, or even a two-bedroom backyard unit.

Mike Day

He called for further easing of restrictions to encourage an “IMBY renaissance”.

“State governments have made strides in scrapping planning permits for flats under 60sq m, but better cohesion between councils and a shift in how we view IMBYs is needed,” Mr Day said.

“There’s a plethora of typologies and variations that, if embraced, could change Australia’s housing landscape.

“But we must also push for better neighbourhood design to ensure walkability and public transport networks are in place or the potential for a second dwelling will remain locked.”

This granny flat at Delaneys Creek north of Brisbane is listed for $300 a week including bills, but if the tenant is a “keen gardener” that will be reduced to $150 a week

A search of flatmates.com.au revealed 25 listings for granny flats in Brisbane, 29 in Sydney, 12 in Melbourne, six in Perth, 13 on the Gold Coast and five in Adelaide.

A one-bedroom granny flat on the Gold Coast is listed for $700 a week, including bills.

At Bondi Beach, a one bedroom granny flat is listed for $750 a week.

This Bondi Beach granny flat is listed for $750 a week

In Melbourne, the most expensive granny flat comes in at $450 a week, including bills, while in Brisbane, the priciest granny flat is listed for $650 a week in Kenmore.

The most expensive granny flat in Adelaide has two bedrooms and is listed for $550 a week, including bills.

A granny flat at Currumbin Waters is listed for $700 a week including bills

A recent report by Archistar found that more than 655,000 residential properties could be suitable for a granny flat across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

But despite so many homes being prime real estate for a second dwelling and permit restrictions easing, Mr Day said second dwelling uptake remained limited.

“Appetite and demand is there for tenants who would rent an IMBY home,” he said.

“But what’s needed now is a multi-pronged approach to ensure homeowners have access to the full design IMBY gamut and state governments work hand in hand with councils to streamline restrictions.”

MORE: Green light for 1000 new homes in supply-starved city

Stuff of nightmares: Price growth in Australia’s haunted suburbs

Local council pays $520k for a chicken coop

A granny flat at Warradale in Adelaide is listed for $550 a week, including bills.

The latest PropTrack Market Insight Report revealed that the national vacancy rate fell for the third consecutive month in September, dropping 0.06 percentage points to just 1.34 per cent.

There are now 46 per cent fewer rental vacancies nationally than there were in March 2020.

The only places to record an increase in listings were Melbourne (+0.01%), Adelaide (+0.02%) and Darwin (+0.29%).

Regional markets across every state and territory also declined.

The national capital city vacancy rate is now 1.43 per cent, while the combined regions is 1.12 per cent.

The PropTrack research shows that the top four tighest SA4 rental markets in September were all in the regions – North West (0.53%) and Warrnambool and South West (0.57%), both in regional Victoria, Barossa-Yorke-Mid North (0.59%) in South Australia and Bunbury in Western Australia (0.6%).

This granny flat in Holland Park in Brisbane is listed for $400 a week, including bills

Moreton Bay South in Brisbane and Hobart were the tightest capital city markets with vacancy rates of just 0.63 per cent.

Haven Home Safe CEO Trudi Ray said that through its partnership with ARKit – Advanced Prefabricated Architecture – and Homes Victoria, they would provide 25 new homes for people on the Victorian Housing Register.

“The ability for modular homes to provide diversified housing options is a big plus, when considering the majority of social and affordable housing renters are looking for smaller one-to-two-bedroom homes,” she said.

“Smaller homes also mean reduced energy expenditure for renters.

“If the sector recognises modular IMBYs as a valued housing class within the continuum, we can increase stock and infill at a lower cost and with speed.

“The modular prefabricated system removes the issue of finding trades in regional and rural areas, as their prefab construction is built offsite.”

This granny flat at Loganlea in Brisbane is listed for $455 a week

A recent report by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Unit (AHURI) revealed that homelessness had increased in areas with greater shortages of affordable private rental housing.

“The research estimated that around 158,000 one to two-bedroom dwellings and 25,000 three-or-more-bedroom dwellings are needed nationally,” the report said.

“These dwellings must be affordable and available to households with the lowest incomes.”

Originally published as Housing crisis: Why it is out with the NIMBYs and in with the IMBYs