Locked out of the housing market

Our registered architect, Michi Moses, knows a LOT about housing. Unfortunately, her recent lived experience is nothing like the homes she designs for other people at Light House. You can read the full ABC article HERE. She was also on the ACT 7pm News.

….as an architect whose research focuses on co-housing, Ms Moses has seen firsthand how the housing market is locking "average" people out. 

The firm she works for specialises in small-footprint, sustainable builds, which are intended to be affordable. 

But she said the clientele of the firm had changed and they were now mainly seeing higher-income earners due to rising costs.

"The reality is that basically all of our staff would not be able to afford the homes we design, which is just crazy, really," she said. 

Ms Moses said the ACT government's stamp duty waiver, which applies to some first home buyers but not all, was a good first step, but it wasn't enough to make buying a home in Canberra affordable. 

"Buying in Canberra. It really does come at a premium," she said. 

"There also needs to be significant measures in terms of housing affordability ... to make it less of a developer-controlled market."

In particular, she said she would like to see more housing options offered, including medium density and high density zoning. 

Last year Michi also particpated in the Better Renting Renter Researcher program and was interviewed by SBS news. You can see a screen capture of her section below.