SWOT: Housing

Strengths

• Relatively low number of areas with concentrations of poverty.
• High quality, inclusive public sector housing with strong international reputation.
• Public sector housing in physically good repair.
• Public sector housing policy promotes social equality.
• HITAS system provides affordable housing for middle income earners.
  

Weaknesses

• Lack of joined up regional housing policy resulting in a shortage of available land for new public housing.
• Shortage of sites for new housing puts upward pressure on house prices.
• Disincentives for municipalities to provide sites for new housing.
• Urban sprawl.
  

Opportunities

• Decline in perception of public housing in relatively early stages.
• Opportunity to be at the forefront of innovations in housing design that responds to changing social and environmental priorities.
• Low population density provides opportunity for growth on intensified existing urban sites.
• Potential trade off between local income tax and property tax to stabilize house prices.
  

Threats

• Emerging ghettos in the east of the city.
• Private sector housing prone to price instability. Boom and bust.
• Increased social issues in public sector housing (vandalism and crime) may result in those who can moving out leaving this as a housing of last resort.