Surging rents are creating more homeless families in Australia.

    * Rent rises of 10-20 per cent a year in Sydney
    * Rural poor crowding into capital cities
    * Early intervention is "critical" for children

A GROWING number of Australian families are being left homeless because of a shortage of rental homes and public housing, a study released today has found.   

The study conducted by the Wesley Mission says families currently make up at least a quarter of Australia's homeless population and possibly as much as a third.

Many families who wanted to access rental properties were unable to because of tight market conditions and real estate agents who "auction off" rental properties to get a higher price.   


Wesley Mission CEO Reverend Keith Garner said with the current limited supply of rental properties in Sydney and with average rental prices rising by 10-20 per cent a year, the situation was not likely to change quickly.

Dr Garner said the report’s findings about the rise in whole families confronting homelessness were alarming.   


"They are in our suburbs, sleeping on the floor in a relative or friend's house, sleeping in their care, living in a refuge after they've left a violent partner.

"They're mostly young, more often than not women, and they are almost always accompanied by young children.”

Wesley Mission public affairs manager Graeme Cole said the issue was compounded by the drift of homeless families from rural areas to the city in search of accommodation in capital cities.

"There is not enough accommodation for families in a lot of rural areas when the main breadwinner loses their job and the bills start adding up that's when we see the need for cheap housing that is not there," Mr Cole said. 

"The catch 22 is that people in search of affordable accommodation go to areas with high unemployment - the work is not where the accommodation is."   

The report also found that new homeless families were the worst affected because of a lack of awareness about options for support and the absence of "one, simple way to find appropriate help".

The report expressed concern that children in homeless families can often repeat the pattern they observe as adults. It warns that early intervention was needed so that the cycle of disadvantage and despair did not become entrenched.

More than half the adults surveyed for the report had been homeless as children.

“It is clear from these results that having a parent who has been homeless is a significant predictor of being homeless as an adult,” the report states.

“Poverty and alcohol are also common links, with more than half having had parents who had financial problems and issues with alcohol abuse.”   

The survey of 50 families found domestic violence was the most common reason for family homelessness, more than twice as common as relationship breakdown or divorce.

It also found 70 per cent of children over the age of 10 experienced violence or bullying, and half had encountered problems because of drug or alcohol abuse.

Sixty per cent had been arrested or jailed.

There is not enough accommodation for families in a lot of rural areas when the main breadwinner loses their job and the bills start adding up that's when we see the need for cheap housing that is not there," Mr Cole said. 

"The catch 22 is that people in search of affordable accommodation go to areas with high unemployment - the work is not where the accommodation is."   

Quote:



That's why rural and regional areas are overpopulated with people dependent on Centrelink. No work, but it is a far better and safer life than being poor and stuck in the city, and there are lots of good spots to sleep rough.

Equitist wrote on May 5^th, 2011 at 9:49am:


I think a cutback in migration numbers for 2-3 years would be sensible. We have housing shortage/affordability issues, homelessness, unemployment, resource shortages (water, food) ...so what do the government do? Bring more people.. Dumb logic.

But ny move to reduce numbers is racist  isn't it Mr leftard.!

Equitist wrote on May 5^th, 2011 at 10:09am:

Fair enough equitist, but i still think mugration numbers are way too high in comparison to our own socio economic issues.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on May 5^th, 2011 at 10:47am:



Finance expert? Is it cheaper to pay off a mortgage than to rent? If they can't afford to rent there is no way they will even get a loan. We are talking about HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

I often wonder if you guys really know what it's like to raise a family, run a home and make ends meet on a budget.

Some of the stuff you come out with, suggests you don't!

Andrei.Hicks wrote on May 5^th, 2011 at 10:53am:



The growing number of people being left homeless are not in the same socio economic bracket as you and your wife. The homeless are coming from the under $40,000 a year salary, most probably where the bread winner has lost his/her job. It only takes 4-6 weeks from the time you lose your job until you lose your accommodation when renting. These people live week to week, there are no savings to fall back on because their whole salary was used in household expenses, and no they don't all have BIG tv's and flash cars, they usually drive a car that is at least 10 years old.