Why housing stability is critical

Many parts of Australia continue to experience a housing crisis, and here in regional NSW, some of the most vulnerable people in our community are feeling it the most. The impacts don’t stop at the individual either; the flow-on effects will be felt by us all.?

Today, I want to discuss why housing stability is critical and why the impact can be more pronounced in our regions.?

Housing impacts lives??

Housing is not just a physical need; it’s foundational to a person’s wellbeing. It is pivotal to a sense of safety, belonging and identity, as well as physical and mental health. It facilitates access to employment, community and services.??

Take a moment to imagine it for yourself: you don’t know where you or your family will spend the night. You don’t know if you’ll be safe. You don’t know if you’ll eat. For those who haven’t experienced it, it’s hard to imagine. But what should be readily apparent is that it is highly stressful and all-encompassing. There isn’t room to plan beyond the night ahead.

It’s easy to see why housing instability is a formidable barrier to many other parts of life, including employment. It can also be a barrier to reaching out for help to community and health services. It’s a vicious self-feeding cycle of insecurity and stress.

And the issue is exacerbated for those already facing challenges, such as mental health, disability or domestic violence. For these people in our community, access to stable housing may be an everyday challenge. The threat of uncertain sleeping arrangements, an inability to cover rent and, ultimately, homelessness can loom large.?

Low vacancy rates and high rents equal the perfect storm?

As it stands today, housing is challenging to secure in many parts of NSW. We’re seeing vacancy rates as low as 0.7% in the Riverina, 1.1% in the Northern Rivers and 1.8% in the Central West .?

Low vacancy rates lead to rental increases. Some parts of the Riverina area have experienced increases as high as 80% over a five-year period .? This perfect storm pushes people out of their local market.?

It pushes them away from communities, people, places and organisations that are part of their network. This may mean children changing schools every six months, travelling further and further for work, or even having to leave secure employment due to the distance. This may continue for a while, but it is not a sustainable, long-term solution.??

I’ve talked before about the second-order impacts of housing stability , and they are numerous – from individual health issues to increasing demand for community and health services.

Regional areas already struggle to entice workers into the community, and healthcare is one of the most impacted industries. We need more healthcare workers to cope with the increasing demand for services, but we can’t encourage them to relocate as suitable housing isn’t available. It’s a high-stakes catch-22.?

It’s a complex issue, but protecting the vulnerable is a must

There are many levers impacting our housing market, and there is no single, simple fix. But it is clear that a solution must be found. It will take time and fortitude at the federal and state levels.?

In the meantime, we must protect our vulnerable communities.?

VERTO’s Tenancy Advice and Advocacy Service (TAAS) provides a support service for private tenants facing challenges to their tenancy.

Anecdotally, the team is seeing an increasing number of no-grounds evictions in which a tenant is given 90 days to leave without a reason. There can be some perfectly reasonable intentions for these notices, such as the owner wanting to occupy the property. However, the team has mentioned seeing more and more cases where notice is given and the property is immediately put back on the market at a much higher rent.?

It’s a delicate situation. A rental property is an investment for the owner, but housing is also about a person’s right to shelter. I don’t envy policymakers, but it is clear something needs to shift. And if it doesn’t, we will all continue to feel the impacts for years to come.?

If you’re experiencing challenges with your private tenancy, contact VERTO on 1300 483 786 for free and confidential support.

If you are experiencing difficulty, you can also contact Lifeline for free, confidential counselling support 24/7 on 13 11 14.??