COVID-essential workers in the care and services sector are facing a rental affordability crisis across regional NSW, with new figures showing rent on an apartment on the South Coast costs at least one third of a weekly income.
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Everybody's Home, the national campaign against homelessness, cross-referenced SQM rent data with the basic hourly wage of workers in disability support, aged care, childcare, hospitality and supermarkets.
The research is being launched to mark the start of National Homelessness Week, August 1-7.
Data found an essential care or service worker on the South Coast would need to spend between one third and two-thirds of a normal working week's wage to rent an apartment in the region.
With the average unit price at $400 a week, here's a breakdown of how many working hours a week goes to rent:
- Disability support worker: 17.9 hours
- Aged care worker: 18.5 hours
- Childcare worker: 18.5 hours
- Hospitality worker: 18.9
- Supermarket worker: 18.5 hours
Manager of the Homeless Hub and the Shoalhaven women's refuge SAHSSI Leslie Labka said both shelters were full, with a wait list that only seems to be growing.
"Our refuge is full. And we have a waiting list for refuge accommodation and also case managers to support and assist people," she said.
With rental affordability increasing in the Shoalhaven, Ms Labka said the rental market is making it almost impossible to secure long-term housing for her clients.
"It's getting worse because people are being exited from long term rentals and they're not being able to secure an alternative rental in the time," she said.
Everybody's Home national spokesperson, Kate Colvin, said Australia's housing system wasn't working for normal Australians.
"The pandemic has reminded us how critically important our carers and service workers are. Yet these pandemic heroes are being badly let down by the housing system and are often priced out of the communities they serve.
"Essential workers are increasingly priced out of coastal and bush communities too. People with big city incomes are moving to the regions and totally warping the rental markets. It's astonishing that a care or service worker simply could not afford a modest apartment in the majority of our regions.
"We must expand social and affordable housing. This will relieve the pressure on our rental market and give Australians on low and modest incomes more options. All over the country, our caring and service workers simply can't compete for rental properties.
"These are the people who got us through the pandemic. We must find a way to let them live close to their work.
"Expecting an exhausted aged care or supermarket worker to commute 90 minutes to and from work just to afford the rent is totally unfair and unsustainable. Australia can do better."
This year in National Homelessness Week, the National Council of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia said the Federal Government must intervene as a matter of urgency as house prices soar, wages stagnate and the housing affordability crisis creeps towards middle Australia.
National President Claire Victory said the great Australian dream of home ownership is fast moving beyond the reach of minimum income earners, placing pressure on a limited, overheated rental market.
'At least 650,000 social and affordable homes are needed right now, with over 116,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night," she said.
'The Society has repeatedly called for the Federal Government to establish a social housing fund of $10 billion to augment the efforts of the states and territories to address the chronic and growing shortage.
Ms Victory said homelessness is no longer that stereotypical person sleeping rough.
"It's people like you and me, just one life event away from a devastating change in circumstances - illness including mental ill health, relationship breakdown, loss of a spouse, domestic violence, or the loss of a job. Older women are now the fastest growing group of people facing homelessness," she said.
"Older people who do not own their own home, and women and children affected by domestic violence are particularly vulnerable.
"Governments have left housing to the market and the market has failed. In the face of the economic facts, it's difficult to understand the lack of political will to invest urgently.
'High housing costs suppress demand for other goods and services. Supported housing saves $13,100 per person annually in reduced use of overall government services, even while factoring in the cost of supports.
'Without a significant investment, supply will remain limited while negative gearing and low interest rates attract investors, boosting house prices.
'The Commonwealth must drive the implementation of a 30-year national housing strategy."
