A new study shows property accessibility in Greater Bendigo has increased slightly for renters on minimum wage, while rental accessibility for people on income support has dropped.
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The 2023 Rental Affordability Snapshot by Anglicare found rental accessibility in the region had decreased from 3.8 per to 1.3 per cent, or two properties, since 2022 for renters receiving income support.
This goes in line with data showing only 100 properties were accessible statewide for Victorians on welfare payments.
The region had a slight uptake in rental properties attainable to minimum wage earners, increasing from 32.1 per cent in 2022 to 37.9 per cent in 2023.
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The increase equates to 58 accessible properties in the region out of 153 total listings in 2023 for renters on low incomes.
The report said the slight rise in availability was partly due to "COVID tree changers" returning to metro areas, where rental availability continues to dwindle.
Regional Director of Anglicare Victoria North Central Michael Oerlemans said the statewide housing crisis was disproportionately harming young people.
"Our young people need better support to find safe and affordable housing. A quarter of Victorians currently without a home are between the ages of 12 and 24, and only three per cent of social housing properties are leased to people in this age group. This urgently needs to change," Mr Oerlemans said.
Mr Oerlemans said while the state government's promise of 12,000 social and affordable housing units was welcome, the federal government needed to invest more into the sector.
"More is needed from the Commonwealth to meet the existing shortfall after many years of under-investment. Additional reform in this space can't be delayed any longer," he said.
As part of the study, Anglicare made the recommendations for JobSeeker and other support payments to be increased to help people on the lowest incomes find homes.
The Anglicare report said Commonwealth Rent Assistance had failed to go toe-to-toe with the increased cost of renting experienced across the state.
The care service provider said the increased cost of renting meant low and middle-income earners had to prioritise rental payments over basic needs like decent food and medical expenses.
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