Updated March 15, 2018 15:28:41

Photo: "No Tasmanians should be without a home," Premier Will Hodgman says. (Pixabay)

The Tasmanian Government has ruled out introducing new taxes or regulations to address the state's chronic housing shortage.

The Government has convened a housing summit in Hobart today in response to record low rental vacancies, soaring house prices and growing homelessness.

Premier Will Hodgman said "no Tasmanians should live in a tent, no Tasmanians should be without a home".

But he said it was a complex issue.

"It is extremely unlikely there is any silver bullet, it is most likely that it is beyond the capacity of any government to totally deal with what is a pressing community challenge, and nor is this an issue that has suddenly or unexpectedly arisen," he said.

Photo: The Government ruled out taxing empty dwellings but flagged possible incentives to get more houses on the market (Supplied: ABC News)

Despite calls from the welfare sector to tax empty houses and regulate Airbnb, the Government has ruled out doing either.

"We are opposed to any new or higher taxes, we are happy to look at incentives but we are not supportive of higher taxes," Treasurer Peter Gutwein told the summit.

"We also don't want to burden Tasmanians with any additional regulation."

Instead the State Government has proposed a raft of measures including fast-track building approvals and an advertising campaign to raise awareness about its election promises such as cutting land tax and stamp duty.

"Landholders and developers don't fully understand the options that are available to them, under the interim schemes and what will be available under the state-wide scheme."

It is also proposing a new land tax rebate for existing homes to be returned to the long term rental market, and an audit of council planning processes.

"Furthermore, I don't think developers understand the option that was introduced in terms of shop-top living," Mr Gutwein said.

The Government is also expected to release a Treasury audit later today of crown land that could be made available for housing.

Immediate solutions suggested

The University of Tasmania's Institute for the Study of Social Change prepared a directions paper for today's housing summit.

Stakeholders say everything should be on the table when it comes to fixing the city's housing crisis.

The paper focuses on the situation in greater Hobart, where recent population growth has been concentrated.

From June 2006 to June 2016, 70 per cent of Tasmania's population growth occurred in the greater Hobart region.

The institute's recommendations for an immediate response to the housing crisis include demountable housing on public land, vouchers for motel/hotel/short-term holiday accommodation, an audit of vacant residential property in Tasmania's cities and incentives for conversion of vacant residential properties into long-term housing.

In the medium term, it is calling for underutilised buildings like offices to be re-purposed for housing and increased investment by the University of Tasmania in student accommodation.

Topics: housing, housing-industry, welfare, hobart-7000, launceston-7250, burnie-7320, tas

First posted March 15, 2018 11:01:35