Renters are at a disadvantage when facing a worsening housing crisis

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In Brisbane, student Julia (not her real name) is facing an impossible choice: drop out of full-time study, or risk homelessness.

“I want to focus on study, but I am looking at dropping to part-time so that I can work more hours. It’s the only way I can live,” Julia said.

With no affordable rooms available for someone on Youth Allowance in southern Queensland, and rent assistance policies that effectively penalise share house living, Julia feels trapped.

“I can’t get rent assistance unless I take on a bigger lease, but that will only make things worse. I feel like everything is geared against me studying to get ahead.”

In Sydney, Cait (not her real name) has just four weeks left to find a new place to live, and nowhere to go.

Single and receiving JobSeeker payments, Cait was told her lease would not be renewed due to her landlord ending the lease for family reasons.

Cait said she has struggled to keep up with rent increases for years, even though the unit she lives in is relatively affordable at $450 a week.

But finding something else she can afford has proven impossible.

“I’m trying to find somewhere to rent in Sydney but it’s impossible on how much I’m living on,” she said.

“I’m applying for everything I can find, but it’s looking bleak. I have to be out in four weeks and I don’t know where I’m going to. I’m thinking of setting up a crowdfund to get some help, but the uncertainty is very stressful.”

Australia’s housing crisis is the worst it has ever been

Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers

Cait’s situation is far from unique.

On the weekend that Anglicare Australia conducted its annual Rental Affordability Snapshot, there were no rental listings that were affordable for people on Youth Allowance.

Surveying over 51,000 rental listings across the country, the snapshot also revealed that just 0.7 per cent of rentals were affordable for someone earning a full-time minimum wage and that just three rooms, all in share houses, were affordable for a person on JobSeeker.

“Australia’s housing crisis is the worst it has ever been,” said Anglicare Australia executive director Kasy Chambers.

“We keep hearing that this election is about living costs, but housing is the biggest cost facing Australians. The housing crisis is climbing the income ladder, and people on the lowest incomes don’t stand a chance.

“Across the country, there are 74 electorates without a single affordable rental for someone on the minimum wage.

“For a person out of work it’s even grimmer. Out of 51,000 listings across the country, just three were affordable for someone on JobSeeker.”

A GFX 'Share of rental listings affordable by income group'

The Anglicare Snapshot surveyed 51,238 rental listings across Australia. Source: SBS News

Chambers said voters are desperate for meaningful action, but so far political parties are offering little.

“Instead, parties are promising more of the same. At best they are overlooking those who need the most help, and at worst, they are making promises that could overheat the market and push costs up.”

She warned that leaving housing provision to the private market has only worsened the crisis.

“This approach is wrong, and it’s supercharging rents and house prices,” she said.

“These results show that housing cannot be left to the private sector. We’re calling on the next parliament to ensure that rentals are affordable by building rentals people can afford, and by fixing Australia’s unfair tax system.”

Anglicare’s Snapshot showed that there were 74 electorates without a single affordable rental for someone on the minimum wage. Source: SBS News

The report made recommendations including ending negative gearing to reduce speculative investment, redirecting resources towards building affordable housing as well as raising the rate of income payments like JobSeeker and Youth Allowance “above the poverty line so people have a realistic chance of securing a home.”

“Our tax system is built to generate profit, not provide homes,” Chambers said.

“And our social security system traps people in poverty instead of helping them find stability, if the next parliament fails to act, this crisis will only get worse.”

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