26 April 2013
When does exclusive expand to inclusive?
One could argue affordable housing is exclusive if it doesn’t exist! When will
the bottom fall out of this market?
Thoughts based on sightseeing tour when
nearly every area surrounding the harbour and Bondi was redeveloped for
“exclusive” luxury apartments… when does the demand for million dollar houses
weaken and the demand for affordable housing get noticed by developers!?
Over the mid-semester break I played the
tacky tourist and took a sightseeing tour of Sydney and Bondi in the open-top
red double decker tour bus. Please reserve your eye rolls. The bus covered more
area than I could in a week on foot. It gave me a good view of the city’s main
attractions but also raised some questions from the Planner in me. All water
front views on the Harbour have been monopolized by “exclusive luxury
apartments,” as the tour guide described them. These exclusive apartments
included new buildings and old industry warehouses refurbished into
multi-million dollar condos with private marinas!
Bondi is Australia’s most popular beach and
probably most popular area as well, although starting to appear run down. However,
I think a complete neighbourhood decline is unlikely. The tour bus squeezed its
way down the most expensive residential street in Sydney with views
over-looking Bondi beach. Living here over 2 months now, yes, I get it; it is
expensive to live here. Point made! Although I am still learning about the
housing market here, and am forming my opinions from my observations, the
housing market is incredibly unbalanced. When will the demand for
middle-income/affordable housing out strip the demand for “exclusive luxury
apartments?”
Sydney is labeled a world city for it is
financial, high-level producer industries but that is all. The more reading I
do on global economics and global cities the lower Sydney falls in rankings of
world cities. With world city status, international investment in real estate
is likely strong, I’m sure many rich globetrotters have a house in Sydney among
other cities. Obviously, people are purchasing these luxury apartments! But do
they represent the majority of Sydney-siders? If you didn’t know any better you
would assume everyone in Sydney were rich based on the sightseeing tour!
When do exclusive places stop being
exclusive? If everyone owns an exclusive luxury apartment, does it stop being
exclusive and become inclusive if “everyone” owns one?
Can mixing affordable housing and exclusive
housing work? Planners work hard to create inclusive spaces but as Jane Jacobs
explains in her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, forced
inclusivity rarely works out. Interaction needs space to develop on its own.
Jacobs, J. (2000). The death and life of great American
cities. London: Pimlico.
Images:
Top - Sydney/Bondi sightseeing tour bus
Bottom - "Luxury Apartments" in Pyrmont
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