‘It’s a catastrophe’: New housing report’s shock findings

An alarming new report has again revealed the depths of Queensland’s housing crisis, where just nine rentals among thousands are affordable for those on income support.

• Crisis: Fears after shock closures

There were only nine rooms available in share houses across Brisbane that were affordable for renters living on income support, a new report has revealed.

The Rental Affordability Snapshot from Anglicare Australia showed the shocking state of the city’s housing crisis, with rooms in share houses at $160 - $210 a week the only option for those on income support, while there were only 82 homes appropriate for those on minimum wage, out of nearly 3000 properties on the market.

The state had already slumped to crisis levels but leading advocates say the affordability and availability of rentals has compounded further, leaving many homeless or on the brink of despair.

Although separate data from PropTrack revealed the pressure on the Brisbane rental market had eased slightly after the number of new listings on realestate.com.au rose 7.5 per cent in March compared to the same month last year.

This resulted in only a slight uplift in the city’s month-on-month vacancy rate growth, lifting just 0.02 per cent to 1.33 per cent.

It’s now almost impossible to find an affordable share house in Brisbane if you rely on income support. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Despite this improvement in rental market data, the lived experience for Queenslanders struggling to find a home had remained dire according to the Anglicare report.

The organisation’s South Queensland chief executive, Sue Cooke, said the findings of this year’s snapshot was “the worst conditions we have ever found” since the first annual report in 2010.

“It’s a catastrophe,” she told The Courier-Mail.

“The average rent rose $150 per week in the last year alone so you’ve got families who are on income support or who are minimum wage earners — they’re trying to compete in a market they really can’t compete in.

“The domino effect of that is into all of our other community services and the homelessness crisis that’s increasing.”

Ms Cooke said the number of people reaching out for help or presenting to homeless services had “skyrocketed”, fearing the knock-on effects forcing families to forego basic essentials such health and dental care.

“And it’s touching everyone,” she said.

“We used to see a specific demographic (but) we’re now seeing families, young children — all of our services are being impacted with people in need.”

The Anglicare leader said the state and federal governments needed to pitch-in to provide a three-pronged response to tackle the crisis: invest in more social and affordable housing, increase Commonwealth rental assistance, and expand welfare support to enable people to afford basic living costs.

She said an escalation in the response was critical given there are 150,000 households with unmet housing needs, according to recent research commissioned by Queensland Council of Social Service.

“The Australian government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (and) the Queensland Housing Investment Fund — they’re all very welcome, but they just deliver gross under supply,” Ms Cooke said.

Karyn Walsh from Micah Projects.

Karyn Walsh, chief executive at homeless advocacy Micah Projects, said the crisis was “absolutely amplifying” as families were forced to squeeze into properties with unrelated people to cover soaring rental prices.

“We’re seeing a lot more people double up,” she told The Courier-Mail.

“Once we wouldn’t have seen doubled up families but they’re doing it now to be able to afford the rent — two families living in the one household, not even extended families.”

PropTrack Director of Economic Research Cameron Kusher said despite the slight improvement in the listing added to the market in March, the national rental market remained “extremely tight” over the year’s first quarter.

“The biggest strain on the rental market is the lack of new rental supply, particularly in the larger capital cities,” he said.

“Absent a return of investors to the market or a big increase in first homebuyer numbers, it seems unlikely that the strong demand and insufficient rental supply will be rectified any time soon.

“This means the cost of renting is expected to continue rising – particularly in capital

cities.”

On Wednesday, Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Steven Miles was quizzed about the prospect of Labor losing support among voters to the Greens given the progressive party’s plans to target rental reform, including a freeze on lease increases.

“Greens’ policies will not deliver a single additional affordable house for a Queenslander,” he said.

“The only thing a policy like will do is drive investors out of the market and cause people to stop developments that are already underway.”

Christine McKenzie outside yet another rental property which she missed out on. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

BRISBANE’S DIRE RENTAL MARKET MAKES LIFE HARD

Brisbane’s crippling renters market has showed its fangs for one Albion woman who says she has submitted more than 30 rental applications this week alone.

Domestic violence survivor Christine McKenzie has been living in safe housing in Albion for the past year after escaping an abusive relationship with her 18-year-old son. She is now rejoining the rental market.

“I escaped a bad relationship, and last year got back on my feet, got a job and the place I’m in is really nice and modern,” she said. “I have been to so many inspection and the places are so bad, possum poo everywhere, grass growing behind the sink it’s just disgusting.”

The Courier-Mail attended a rental inspection in Red Hill to scope the scene when, before the inspection had even commenced, the property manager arrived and notified the viewers that it had already been leased despite only being on the market for four days.

“I pay $150 a week which I can afford, this place is $325 and is not as nice, it’s really demoralising,” Ms McKenzie said. “Who is going to pick me when the market is this bad. If I don’t find a place in the next four weeks I’ll be forced to squat.

“I don’t even have a car that I can sleep in.”