THE share of households living in social housing is declining while the number of those sitting on the waitlist continues to balloon.
According to the latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, has revealed the proportion of households living in social housing has dropped to 4.1% in 2023 from 4.7% in 2013.
At June 2023, there were around 446,000 social housing dwellings in Australia, up from 443,000 in 2022.
At the same time, between June 2022 and June 203 there were just 2,870 new social homes added to the market, while more than 185,000 households are currently sitting on the official waitlist.
“Australia is only building about 3,000 social homes every year – at this rate, it would take us more than 200 years to build enough homes just to meet today’s need,” said Maiy Azize, spokesperson from Everybody’s Home.
“Even if the government meets its five-year target of 30,000 it’s simply not enough to meet today’s chasmic shortfall of 640,000 homes.”
Though over 2022-23, 32,400 households were newly allocated social housing with 16,500 to public housing, 15,200 to community housing and 700 to state owned and managed Indigenous housing.
With 79% of all new social housing allocations to those in greatest need, such as those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
“The government must start aiming for at least one in ten homes to be social homes. That would turn our housing crisis around and make housing more affordable for everyone,” added Azize.
In June, NSW Budget committed to delivering a $6.6 billion into social housing and homelessness services in an attempt to ease this ongoing crisis.
While last week, the Queensland government announced a partnership with local company Shorelyne to deliver 32 new affordable homes in Hervey Bay for low-income seniors low-income single women. After the Miles government committed $3.1 billion into housing and homelessness initiatives in its election year budget.
The WA government is also acting, with a call for expressions of interest from builders and developers to deliver social housing across the state via its record $3.2 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures.
Federally, June saw the Albanese government pay an additional combined $1 billion to the states and territories that will go towards infrastructure works and more social housing.
Over 2022-23 there were around 824,000 residents living in social housing, while as at June 2023, there were 60,730 dwellings that were considered to be underutilised and 20,979 dwellings or 5.3% were considered to be overcrowded.
At the same time, the number of income units receiving Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) in June 2023 is unchanged from June 2022, at around 1.3 million.
With 56,900 households in Australia receiving Private Rent Assistance over 2022-23 and 36,900 households receiving Home Purchase Assistance.
While recent research from AHURI found the effectiveness of private rental assistance schemes is highly dependent on market conditions, with more than half of those receiving assistance unable to sustain their rental tenancy.
“Funding social housing all comes down to choice. It’s time for the federal government to get back into the business of building homes, instead of relying on the private sector to build unaffordable housing – a political decision that continues to fail Australians,” added Azize.
“No matter which way you slice it, the rate at which we are building social housing is failing renters. How many more Australians have to be forced to sleep in their cars, on the streets, in overcrowded homes and unsafe accommodation before the government gets serious?”
