Adelaide rental crisis laid bare by ‘disturbing’ Anglicare study

This is one of two rooms across all of Adelaide that people on minimum wages can afford to rent – out of more than 1100 homes on offer.

A shocking affordability study has revealed the uphill battle faced by Adelaide tenants, with only two of 1125 homes on the market able to be afforded by single minimum-wage earners.

The Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot 2022 studied 1125 Adelaide rental listings on realestate.com.au on the March 19 weekend.

Head of the Anglicare housing arm Believe Housing Australia, Stacey Northover said the study revealed a “disturbing reality” for many seeking accommodation during the rental crisis.

“We urgently need to confront the disturbing reality of what this means: literally tens of thousands of South Australians – including children – are becoming more vulnerable to housing stress and homelessness and that number is likely to increase,” she said.

The two affordable options were both single rooms. One was in Salisbury for $180 per week, fully furnished with a fridge and TV.

The second was in Richmond, a bedroom for $125 per week in a share house. The room included single bed, desk and chair, book case, cupboard and mirror.

Ms Northover said people living with government assistance faced an even more grim challenge.

None of the 1125 homes on offer could be afforded by single-aged pensioners, disability-support pensioners, singles receiving parenting payments, or those on Jobseeker or the Youth Allowance.

A room for rent at Richmond for $125 a week – shared with five other tenants. The room includes a single bed, desk and chair, book case, cupboard and mirror.

Couples fared better with 283 properties affordable if both were on minimum wage.

Ms Northover said this availability was also shrinking, because the first snapshot in SA in 2013 showed 518 Adelaide privately available to these people.

A room in Salisbury fully furnished with fridge and TV in a shared house for $180/week.

“Investing in more social and community housing and a permanent increase to income support payments is the most powerful way to make the market more affordable and ensure South Australians do not have to choose between rent and food to keep a roof over their heads,” Ms Northover said.

“We will invest more than $100m in social and affordable housing in SA over the next 10 years to help address the dire shortage of 40,400 affordable homes needed over 14 years.”

This week the state government revealed how it would ease the squeeze on the private market and at the same time improve conditions for Housing Trust hopefuls, who pay 25 per cent of their income in rent.

A cash spend of $180m will boost “critical” homeless and social housing services, Premier Peter Malinauskas said.

The Labor Party during the state election in March pledged 400 new public homes, “significant” renovations on another 350 empty Housing Trust homes and a maintenance blitz on 3000 other properties.

Clients of Ms Northover’s service made statements supporting the study, although did not want to be identified.

Single mum of two Leanne said: “I can’t tell you how many houses I looked at. I couldn’t find anything we could afford – absolutely nothing, or, if it was affordable, it was not fit for children”.

Disability pensioner Anne has been looking for a rental property for six months. She said: “It’s unprecedented and I’m scared of having nowhere to live”.

Andy, also on a disability pension, said: “There is nowhere to go for people doing it tough. You just can’t afford to rent anymore”.

Originally published as Adelaide rental crisis laid bare by ‘disturbing’ Anglicare study