Governing the Compact City: The Challenges of Apartment Living in Sydney, Australia

Abstract

This paper addresses the challenges facing the strata sector in Sydney in the context of current Australian metropolitan planning strategies promoting increased urban consolidation. It argues that the current focus on higher density development is vulnerable to challenges of regulation, representation and termination in strata developments. Furthermore, the increasing size and complexity of strata schemes as well as the existence of ageing strata stock is placing pressure on the strata title system in NSW and these problems are likely to escalate as an increasing proportion of the population move into strata. It is therefore essential to comprehend the issues facing strata developments if they are to be effectively tackled. The concept of 'governance' provides one mechanism for improving this understanding.

Residents’ Experiences of Privacy and Comfort in Multi-Storey Apartment Dwellings in Subtropical Brisbane

“…They also share the hardware (ducts, pipes and wires) delivering services such as energy, water, drainage, waste management and communications to their dwellings. Furthermore, because most apartment buildings in Australia are generally multi-title (strata title) developments and owners form a "body corporate" entity, residents share governance and management arrangements as well [28,29]. In order to avoid or manage social issues that these sharing circumstances could generate, resident cohesion is very important and a level of familiarity on which to base positive interrelationships is essential [30].…”

“…The subtropical humid climate zone has no distinctly dry season [15] and though summers are hot and humid, and winters are cool, the ambient outdoor temperatures (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29) °C in summer and 9-21 °C in winter) are within a comfortable range for much of the year [16,17]. Humidity is the main factor affecting thermal comfort in subtropical settlements, and is most noticeable when air temperature is high and wind velocity is low [18].…”

Collective action in apartment building management in Hong Kong

“…), apartment buildings have gained in popularity all over the world. For instance, 27.5% of Sydney's population (Easthope & Bandolph, 2009), 84% of Singapore's (Yeh & Yuen, 2011b), and over 95% of Hong Kong's (Lai & Yik, 2011) dwell in apartment buildings. Bound by co-ownership arrangements, apartment owners have to cooperate in the use and upkeep of the building.…”

Funding common property expenditure in multi‐owned housing schemes

“…The ubiquitous uptake of the MOH model appears as inconsistent with the paucity of academic examination of the model's workings, however. As Easthope and Randolph (2009;244) comment: … given the increasing role higher density housing is playing in urban development, it is surprising that issues surrounding the governance of strata title, the predominant ownership and management form by which higher density housing is developed and owned in Australia, have received so little academic attention.…”

“…Facets of the MOH model that have commanded some academic attention include dealing with diverse stakeholders, owner and resident representation (Easthope and Randolph (2009), and problems of scheme termination (Sherry, 2006). Ngai-ming and Forrest (2002) highlight the potential for tension to arise between owners with differing levels of wealth and Blandy et al (2006) note conflict of interest issues resulting when a developer attempts to extend a long-term service contract to a building managing agent.…”