Social Housing As Infrastructure: Rationale, Prioritisation and Investment Pathway

Abstract

Considering social housing as infrastructure may improve investment in the sector, as well as increase transparency and efficiency in project appraisal and funding prioritisation. It explored different methods of calculating the benefits of social housing relative to cost, including the savings that might accrue in other areas of government expenditure. The research also modelled ways to best finance and fund social housing, revealing that a capital investment strategy supplemented by efficient financing is substantially more cost-effective than a commercially financed model reliant on an operating subsidy.

Keywords: social housing, australia, economic modelling, cost benefit analysis, infrastructure economics, economic policy, investment evaluation

JEL Classification: D61, H53, H54, R31