Affordable houses large enough for families are in good supply in Whittlesea and Hume, according to the state government’s latest rental report.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ March quarter report shows almost 21 per cent of all rentals in Whittlesea were ‘affordable’, while in Hume almost 25 per cent of rental housing stock was similarly ‘affordable’.
The report deemed a property affordable if it was within 30 per cent of gross income for low-income households.
According to the report, most of the two municipalities’ affordable houses have four or more bedrooms.
About a quarter of three-bedroom houses were affordable in Hume, but only 12.4 per cent were affordable in Whittlesea, and the availability of inexpensive accommodation was in shorter supply as house sizes decreased. Not a single one-bedroom place was considered affordable in either municipality.
Launch Housing is an independent community organisation committed to ending homelessness. Its lead researcher George Hatvani said the report painted a dire picture for single men and women on low incomes.
“And while it’s fine for families with kids, they’re also forced to live far away from public transport, education and employment,” he said. “We’ve got a globalised property market and that’s keeping property prices high.”
Northern and Western Homelessness Networks “more houses for people” campaign is urging state and federal governments to work together to create affordable housing in Victoria.
The campaign calls for growth in public and social housing stock, taxation changes to provide incentives to provide more affordable rental properties, and significant increases to Commonwealth rent assistance.
