The recent headlines may lead you to believe that the Victorian government has given in once again, this time by backtracking on its ambitious housing targets. However, for the affluent residents of Brighton and Boorondara who had vocally opposed any changes, the reality is quite different in their own neighborhoods.

Premier Jacinta Allan and her planning minister, Sonya Kilkenny, have spent time showcasing updated plans from last year aimed at significantly increasing density in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. More updates, including new locations for accelerated apartment development, are expected to be announced this week.

Let us recall that the initial announcement of 25 centres ignited a highly publicized rally led by Brighton MP James Newbury, who inflamed the crowd by warning of potential 20-storey apartment towers in their streets.

The government’s housing strategy incited not just a divide between young people seeking to enter the housing market and wealthier established residents, but also between Labor and Liberal MPs whose electorates face significant redevelopment.

On Monday, the government named another Liberal-held area, Hawthorn, as the site to unveil final housing targets for all metropolitan local government areas (LGAs), initially announced in June.

Since then, the government’s 2051 target for all metropolitan councils has dropped from 2.01 million to 1.78 million homes. Each LGA has experienced target cuts, which the housing advocacy group Yimby Melbourne labeled as a “capitulation” by the government.

Yimby’s lead organizer, Jonathan O’Brien, stated, “We need more homes, not fewer, but the government lacks the courage to increase the housing stock.”

A closer inspection, however, reveals the government’s commitment to redirect housing growth from Melbourne’s outskirts to inner suburbs, with their convenient transportation options.

LGAs facing the biggest target reductions include Hobsons Bay, Hume, Manningham, Mornington Peninsula, and Nillumbik. Nillumbik saw its target plummet from 12,000 to 6,500 homes by 2051.

In contrast, inner city housing targets have only decreased marginally. Allan cited the initial targets as intentionally ambitious, expecting them to be adjusted during consultation.

The targets have remained relatively stable in areas like Bayside, which includes Brighton and Boroondara, with Bayside’s target dropping from 31,000 to 30,000 homes and Boroondara’s from 67,000 to 65,500.

Allan argued that the government’s intervention ensures fairer growth by setting targets for councils and pointed out the substantial growth in outer areas compared to inner suburbs over the past 30 years.

Allan stated that current policies deny young individuals, particularly those wishing to relocate to these neighborhoods, the opportunity to find homes, possibly close to their hometowns.

Kilkenny emphasized that councils unable to demonstrate plans to reach their targets might face a loss of control over local planning decisions.

Both Allan and Kilkenny denied scaling back their goals and reaffirmed their unchanged state target of 2.24 million new homes by 2051.

Allan added, “This shows how my government says it will act, goes out to listen, consult, and take on feedback.”

On Sunday, the duo announced reduced height restrictions around their first 10 activity centers. They described the changes similarly, as adjustments to “core areas” for future apartment towers between 10 and 20 stories left largely unchanged, while “walkable catchments” were modified based on resident concerns.

Now, the maximum heights range from 4 to 6 stories in the inner catchment and 3 to 4 stories in the outer catchment.

Kilkenny argued that fear-mongering about the plan by the Liberal Party included concerns raised by Newbury and Michael O’Brien, the member for Malvern, where seven activity centers are earmarked for development.

“As we unveil these updated plans,” Allan said, “it is clear to everyone that we engage with communities, treat each center uniquely, analyze each street, and take on local feedback.”

The Premier’s stance was more direct: “Affordable housing won’t be built by obstructing home construction with a megaphone in the main street of Brighton.”