#26 - Dr Patricia Austin - From policy to place: Building Inclusionary Housing systems

Dr Patricia Austin on the legal frameworks, planning systems, and housing needs assessments that make inclusionary zoning work.In this episode we speak with Dr Patricia Austin, a leading housing policy expert at the University of Auckland, where her research focuses on affordable housing mechanisms, planning systems, and community development. With extensive international experience studying housing systems across the UK, USA, and New Zealand, she brings a comparative perspective to understanding how different legislative frameworks shape housing outcomes. Dr Austin was instrumental in developing New Zealand's 2007 Affordable Housing Enabling Territorial Authorities Act, and created the housing needs assessment methodology that accompanied it. Her practical expertise bridges academic research with on-the-ground policy implementation, making her a sought-after advisor for local councils navigating complex housing challenges.In this conversation, we explore inclusionary zoning as a mechanism for delivering affordable housing, with particular focus on Dr Austin's pivotal role in the Queenstown Lakes District inclusionary housing project. She explains the fundamental differences between property rights systems in New Zealand versus the UK and USA, and why these differences matter for implementing inclusionary policies. We discuss the critical importance of housing needs assessments, the various retention mechanisms that prevent affordable housing from flipping back to market rates, and why voluntary inclusionary zoning fails under New Zealand's Resource Management Act. Dr Austin also addresses the displacement caused by recent urban renewal programs, arguing that housing is far more than just physical shelter, it encompasses community connections, schools, churches, and family networks that are essential for vulnerable households to thrive.We'd like to thank Patricia for talking time for this in-depth conversation. Don't forget to subscribe to the CHA Hub Podcast where ever you get your podcasts from.The CHA Hub Podcast is sponsored by our Founding Partner, Westpac New Zealand.