Rental properties across the South Coast are becoming increasingly unaffordable, new data has revealed.
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Not a single postcode from Berry in the north to Moruya in the south is in the acceptable, affordable or very affordable range.
The annual Rental Affordability Index calculates rental affordability based on median rental prices and the average income of rental households in each region.
The least affordable postcode on the South Coast is 2535, which includes the towns of Berry and Shoalhaven Heads, which is listed as severely unaffordable.
The Nowra and Bomaderry postcode (2541) and Batemans Bay (2536) are ranked as moderately unaffordable.
While the Tomerong postcode (2540), Ulladulla (2539) and Moruya (2537) are listed as unaffordable.
The data from the Rental Affordability Index is prepared by housing advocacy body National Shelter and consultancy SGS Economics & Planning and the report authors said the new data reinforced that the regions were no more affordable than the capital cities.
"Regional centres like Bathurst, Maitland, Wagga Wagga, and effectively the entire coastline including the entirety of Illawarra-Shoalhaven, all offer at best, moderately unaffordable rents at the median level," the report authors said.
Most postcodes across regional NSW share the same story of declining rental affordability.
Airbnb review considered
This report comes as the NSW government signals its intention to review short-term holiday properties, such as those advertised on Airbnb and Stayz.
The proposed review targeted the 90,000 holiday homes that are for rent on a short-term basis.
The Shoalhaven LGA has some of the highest proportion of short-term holiday rentals, eclipsed only by areas on the north coast such as Byron Bay. Almost six percent of all private dwellings in the Shoalhaven are non-hosted short term rental accommodation - equivalent to 3275 dwellings.
In the Shoalhaven, 704 people were homeless on the night of the 2021 census.
A spokesperson for Shoalhaven City Council said the review could spark further action by council.
"Following the release of the NSW Government's review of the existing Short-Term Rental Accommodation planning provisions, which it understood will occur before the end of the year, Council will consider what opportunities this review enables and make a submission advocating a position," the spokesperson said.
