Developer Zep Lanza described the current struggle of building homes as a catch-22.

"There's only so many tradesmen in Griffith that can build the homes. If you talk to them, they're flat out. The industry can only build so many homes," he said.

From what he'd heard, roughly half were being sold to owners while the rest were sold to rental investors. He mentioned that this was actually a good sign for bringing new blood to Griffith but that it wouldn't address the lack of housing.

"You can have as many lots as you want, we need more tradesmen," he added, but also noted that those tradies would need somewhere to live as well.

A spokesperson for Hotondo Homes disagreed, and said that the issue was reversed.

"I'd say it's the other way around, we're held up with the land. We've got the houses and the builders and everything ... There's plenty of land but it's not subdivided," they said.

"For example, the new Collina blocks are just being held up."

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While the root causes for Griffith may be unclear, the lack of housing availability is pushing rent sky-high and leaving many behind. Some properties are seeing as many as 60 applicants competing. Wait times for social housing in particular can extend up to a decade, with the lowest estimate of two years.

According to Real Estate View, the cheapest land currently available in Griffith is selling for just over $180,000 with the most expensive lot listed at $290,000.

Mr Lanza said that they were looking at purchasing smaller lots to ensure new residents can afford to build and move in, and was quick to add that the current housing crisis runs deeper.

"The staff at the council are doing the best they can, but there's not enough of them either ... For skilled trades, there's plenty of work here."

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