ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 explores the politics of homeownership. The past seventy years have seen a substantive increase in the number of homeowners, which has in turn contributed to the growth of suburbs and new developments. This chapter charts the ideology of homeownership policies and their implications for contemporary society. Drawing on evidence from scholarship undertaken in Australia, the US and the UK, this chapter shows how the encouragement of homeownership has been a long-term policy objective of governments. The increase in homeownership has instigated profound shifts in society and the physical make-up of cities. The suburbanisation of cities is a direct legacy of the homeownership strategy of successive governments around the world. However, the rise of investor landlords, particularly after the GFC, has made it more difficult for young households to access the homeownership market. In areas of high demand, private renting is often the only option.
