BENDIGO'S undersupply of affordable rental housing is a key driver of homelessness, a support service has confirmed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It comes as economic modellers warn the number of Australians experiencing housing stress and homelessness is likely to jump in the coming months.
Some support services say they are already seeing more demand for help.
Other news:
Bendigo Family and Financial Services chief executive Jenny Elvey said more clients had come in for food assistance in recent weeks, after the JobSeeker coronavirus supplement ended.
Ms Elvey warned more people in Greater Bendigo were at risk of homelessness, as rents and property prices soared.
She said many BFFS clients were living in friends' garages, or sleeping on other people's couches.
Ms Elvey said people were struggling to pay for rent, electricity and gas without the supplement.
It put them in the same position as prior to the COVID-19 crisis: forced to chose between paying rent, keeping electricity and gas up to date, or putting food on the table, Ms Elvey said.
She said it was virtually impossible for anyone forced to move to find another rental property.
Ms Elvey said it was vital to put more money into social housing to relieve financial pressure on people with low incomes, or accessing JobSeeker payments.
Ms Elvey said raising the rate of payments was also vital, as they were just too low given the inflated prices of rental properties.
Modelling from consultancy Equity Economics estimated a 24 per cent increase in the number of Australian families under housing stress by June 2021.
It warned of a nine per cent increase in the number of Australians experiencing homelessness by the same date.
But Haven; Home, Safe deputy chief executive Trudi Ray said the service was not expecting any significant changes in the number of people needing its help in Bendigo during the coming months.
Ms Ray said an undersupply of affordable housing in Greater Bendigo had been one of the main drivers of the increase in people seeking Haven's support.
She said the city's homelessness services had experienced a 42 per cent demand increase in the past five years.
Ms Ray said reduced JobSeeker payments would increase pressure on households already in housing stress, decreasing their ability to pay for affordable accommodation.
She said social and affordable housing was important in supporting people in the community who were vulnerable to homelessness, but supply over time had decreased.
Ms Ray said Haven was pleased with the capital investment being made through the Victorian Government Big Home Build, which could mean up to 300 new social housing homes in Bendigo.
But she said there was no one fix for homeless, but all levels of government needed to work to increase supply.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark bendigoadvertiser.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter @BgoAddy
- Follow us on Instagram @bendigoadvertiser
- Find us on Facebook
- Follow us on Google News