Housing crisis worsens for most vulnerable — Rental Affordability Snapshot released today
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Anglicare Southern Queensland’s latest Rental Affordability Snapshot, released today, reveals a deepening crisis that leaves the most vulnerable individuals and families across the whole of southern Queensland without viable housing options
Anglicare Southern Queensland’s latest Rental Affordability Snapshot, released today, reveals a deepening crisis that leaves the most vulnerable individuals and families across the whole of southern Queensland without viable housing options.
For the first time, the Snapshot includes rental affordability data from across the broader southern Queensland region — and the results are dire.
Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Chief Executive Officer Sue Cooke said the data captured all rental properties available across the region over the weekend of 16 – 17 March 2024, with the outlook for southern Queensland painting a grim picture.
“From the 8553 rental properties available across southern Queensland, only 45 (0.5%) were affordable and appropriate for households on income support and a total of 759 (8.9%) were affordable and appropriate for those on minimum wage,” Ms Cooke said.
“Our Snapshot shows in some areas households are spending up to and over 80 per cent of their total household income on rent, meaning they are forced to make untenable choices between paying rent or putting food on the table or going to the doctor or to school — all fundamental needs.
“While there was a slight increase in the number of available rentals in the Brisbane metro area compared to last year, the number of those properties that were affordable and appropriate for households on income support and minimum wage basically halved compared to 2023.
“The situation is even worse in coastal areas, with the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, and Wide Bay offering few to no affordable properties.
“For example, on the Gold Coast, there were zero houses available for households on income support, and only four available to households on the minimum wage. It’s a similar situation on the Sunshine Coast.
“Away from the coast, there is almost no availability, or the limited affordable properties in a region may be hundreds of kilometres away in a different town.
“Unfortunately, these figures highlight the stark reality of the cost-of-living crisis on the most vulnerable in our communities. They show there is a pressing need for comprehensive policy reforms at all levels to address the widening gap in rental affordability.”
Anglicare Southern Queensland provides crisis and transitional accommodation for people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of experiencing homeless and assists more than 48,000 Queenslanders every year.
Ms Cooke said while the housing crisis is being addressed at state and federal level, including the $2 billion Queensland Housing Investment Fund and the Queensland Housing and Homeless Action Plan, more needs to be done to manage the chronic undersupply of housing and to provide the means for people to obtain safe and secure homes.
“We join the chorus of others calling for the Australian Government to step up and increase Jobseeker Youth Allowance and related payments and for both federal and state governments to invest further in social and affordable housing projects,” she said.
“With the Federal Budget announcement on the horizon, the time for decisive action is now. It is imperative that our national and state policies reflect the basic human right to housing, ensuring that no one is left behind.”
Editor’s note: Read the 2024 Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot on the Anglicare Southern Queensland website.
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