A new report published recently by ACOSS and the UNSW, states regional rental housing affordability has significantly worsened during the pandemic. With rent rises outweighing wage increases, the impact this is having in our towns and cities is taking a toll. People working within the Homelessness and Community sectors know this all too well, and the research tells us that rent inflation rates are higher than anything experienced over the past decade.
According to ACOSS CEO, Dr Cassandra Goldie:
“Soaring regional rents are compounding financial stress for many people on low incomes or receiving income support payments. Regional rents are rising at rates far above the national average yet are only indexed to capital city rents. This means regional renters on social security will be facing cost of living hikes well above their CPI-linked benefit increase.
“With private rentals already in short supply, soaring rents, and a severe shortage of social housing options, we’re in the middle of a renting crisis in many parts of regional Australia – the real concern is that this then becomes permanent.
“We need immediate Federal Government action to help house people made homeless and COVID is only aggravating a national rental problem that has been building for years. After a decade of Commonwealth neglect on social housing we badly need a major national building program that starts to remedy this, with a sizeable part of the investment going to the regional centres facing the greatest stress.”