Whittlesea is one of the most affordable municipalities in Melbourne for people living on income support or the minimum wage.
Anglicare’s Rental Affordability Snapshot 2015 reveals Whittlesea is the fifth most-affordable area for people on low incomes who are looking for housing.
The report states that, apart from two-child families with both parents earning the minimum wage, all other low income couples and family groups have very little or no access to Victoria’s 17,800 total rental listings.
Most of Melbourne’s affordable and appropriate rentals are located in outer suburban growth corridors, fringe and semi-rural areas, such as Whittlesea, Yarra Ranges, Brimbank, Wyndham and Casey.
“These areas are typically associated with poorer access to services, public transport, infrastructure, employment, educational and training institutions and higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage,” the report stated.
Jemal Ahmet, chief executive of the Epping-based community services agency Whittlesea Community Connections, said Anglicare’s report resonated with the findings of his organisation.
But he said support for the report’s conclusions came with a caveat.
“Because we’re in the outer suburbs, we have new houses being built, so it’s slightly more affordable,” he said.
“But you can’t just look at the price of rent. People are not saving hundreds of dollars living out here – it’s maybe $20 a fortnight.
“I would argue that gets swallowed up very quickly on transport, travelling to shops, schools and work, which are all further away.”
Mr Ahmet also said bidding wars for rental properties meant single mothers and welfare recipients were often locked out of the market. “That person on Newstart may not get the property,” Mr Ahmet said.
The Anglicare report, an annual national survey, collected data on more than 65,600 rental listings across Australia in partnership with a real estate website.
The affordability snapshot was taken on April 11 with people living on low incomes who were actively looking for housing.
Now in its the sixth year, the report deems a suitable rental to be one that takes less than 30 per cent of the household’s income – a common benchmark of affordability.
