- More than 20,000 households don't have their housing needs met.
- 6.9% of households in Melbourne's West, are not appropriately housed.
- Victoria has the lowest proportion of social housing in the country.
Melbourne’s west is struggling under the weight of housing stress with more than 20,000 households not having their housing needs appropriately met according to new research.
The analysis by the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) and the UNSW City Futures Research Centre found six per cent of households in Melbourne and 5.7 per cent in regional Victoria are not appropriately housed and were experiencing housing stress, overcrowding and even homelessness.
Melbourne’s West was the worst affected area where 6.9 per cent of households, are not appropriately housed.
Melbourne’s north west is second with 6.7 per cent, followed by the south east at 6.6 per cent, while Ballarat and Shepparton have the highest proportion of unmet need in regional Victoria at around 6 per cent.
Urgent need for more social housing
CHIA Victoria acting CEO Jess Pomeroy said the report highlights the urgent need for more social housing in Victoria.
“The inner, west, and south east parts of Melbourne are among the top ten areas in Australia with the highest number of households facing unmet need,” Ms Pomeroy said.
“Victoria has the lowest proportion of social housing in the country.
“We urgently need governments to provide a clear, long-term funding pipeline for social and affordable housing beyond the Big Housing Build.
Ms Pomeroy said the Government needs to take a more active role in managing the current housing crisis.
“The Victorian Government can help achieve this by spending $6 billion on 20,000 social homes over the next decade,” she said.
“It can also leave a 2026 Commonwealth Games legacy by working with not-for-profit community housing organisations to ensure the athletes’ villages are fit for long-term social and affordable housing.”
Long term strategy essential
CHIA CEO Wendy Hayhurst said Australia needs a long-term national housing strategy with clear targets to address the housing need right across Australia.
“There are currently 640,000 Australian households whose housing needs are not being met, and this figure is projected to increase to 940,000 by 2041,” Ms Hayhurst said.
“The Commonwealth has laid important foundations for expanding social and affordable housing and it is reassuring to see them seriously grapple with this challenge.
“However we will need to muster additional investment from all levels of Government and superannuation funds to meet this challenge.
“It is hard to think of a higher priority than giving all Australians a stable and secure home.”
