Slow pace of social housing growth deemed inadequate to meet demand
Everybody’s Home, a national campaign aimed at ending Australia’s housing crisis, is urging the government to intensify its efforts as new figures reveal slow growth and a declining proportion of social housing.
Latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that the proportion of households in social housing has decreased from 4.7% in 2013 to 4.1% in 2023. Additionally, the number of social homes increased by only 2,870 between June 2022 and June 2023, while more than 184,000 households remain on a waitlist.
Maiy Azize (pictured above), national spokesperson for Everybody’s Home, highlighted the slow pace of social housing growth as inadequate to meet demand.
“Australia is building about 3,000 social homes annually – at this rate, it would take over 200 years to meet today’s needs,” Azize said. “Even if the government achieves its five-year target of 30,000 homes, it is insufficient to address the current shortfall of 640,000 homes.”
New AIHW data continues to paint a dire picture of social housing in Aus. Barely 4% of households live in social housing. We’re only gaining a few thousand social homes each year when the overall need is 640,000! The govt must #BuildSocialHousing https://t.co/tyGblIBKob
— Everybody's Home (@_EverybodysHome) July 11, 2024
Azize called for the government to aim for at least one in 10 homes to be social homes to alleviate the housing crisis and improve affordability.
“No matter which way you slice it, the rate at which we are building social housing is failing renters,” she said. “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?
“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.”
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