Dr Dorina Pojani: Housing Affordability Crisis — Understanding the Challenges | On the House #55

Housing is a fundamental human necessity, yet the scarcity of affordable housing continues to fuel a crisis impacting over a billion people globally. Explore how the housing affordability crisis affects daily life and learn about practical solutions you can adopt to overcome this crisis. Tune in today to gain a thorough understanding of one of society’s most urgent issues!

Meet Dr. Dorina Pojani

Dr. Dorina Pojani is an Associate Professor of urban planning at The University of Queensland, joining in 2015 after a postdoctoral residency at Delft University of Technology. Her research focuses on urban design, transport, and housing, with a feminist perspective on gender roles in cities, and spans both the Global North and South.

Her international academic journey includes positions in Austria, Chile, Italy, and Oman, as well as consultancy work for various UN agencies. She has published notable works such as “Trophy Cities” (2021) and “Alternative Planning History and Theory” (2023) and frequently contributes to non-academic outlets and media. Prior to academia, she worked in urban design and planning in California.

About the episode

In this thought-provoking episode of On the House, Dr. Dorina Pojani defines household management in relation to housing as the ability to balance budgets, pay bills on time, and ideally save money rather than live paycheck to paycheck. She emphasizes that housing affordability in Australia has worsened significantly. She also discusses various factors contributing to this crisis.

Dr. Dorina Pojani proposes substantial revisions to taxation policies, including the elimination of negative gearing, aimed at reducing overinvestment in property. She underscores the necessity for government intervention to encourage developers to construct affordable housing units. Additionally, she highlights the critical role of government in establishing public social housing as a vital solution to the ongoing housing crisis.

She also discusses the severe implications of the housing crisis, noting the rise in homelessness visible even in Brisbane’s city parks. Dr. Dorina Pojani emphasizes the economic inefficiency and social costs of not providing adequate housing, suggesting that government intervention is essential. She argues for a shift away from individualistic housing policies, advocating instead for sustainable, community-focused solutions.

In conclusion

In this episode, Dr. Dorina Pojani highlights the urgent need for holistic solutions to the housing crisis. It’s critical to reevaluate societal priorities to ensure equitable access to housing and mitigate homelessness. Her insights challenge the status quo, urging listeners to consider housing as a fundamental human right that requires collective action and systemic change.

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