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Learning from past mistakes: lessons from the National Rental Affordability Scheme
All Australians are spending more of their incomes on housing than in the past, but low-income households are feeling the pinch most.
Many low-income renters are in poverty, and many more are suffering financial stress. Inequality is increasing because rising housing costs have disproportionately whittled away the income growth of poorer households.
2019
Housing in an ageing Australia: Nest and nest egg?
This brief is in three parts. Part one tackles the dynamics of the housing purchase in working life, describing the patterns of housing tenure across generations, demographic and market dynamics, the likely future effects of demography on housing demand, and the policies that can affect home purchase outcomes, particularly taxes.
2019
Rental Affordability Index 2019
Rental affordability for single pensioners is alarmingly poor. Across
the nation, the single pensioner household is facing Severely
Unaffordable and Extremely Unaffordable rents.
2019
Themes:
New door opens for older women facing homelessness in Canberra
YWCA Canberra has launched "Next Door", a new wrap-around support service to help older women at risk of homelessness navigate a path back to secure housing.
2019
Housing Crisis: Young People Pushing Older Women Into Homelessness
Older women are Australia's fastest growing group of homeless people and the lack of affordable housing is a major factor in the rapid increase.
The number of homeless women over 55 has increased by a whopping 31 percent since 2011. Other demographics of homeless people have increased by just 14 percent since then.
2019
House-sitting on the rise for older people in financial stress or on verge of homelessness
The article looks at house-sitting as an option for the housing crisis faced by an increasing number of older people in Australia.
2019
What Comes After #MyMum – Preventing Homelessness Amongst Australia's Older Women
Older women now represent the fastest growing cohort of Australia’s homeless. In the ACT between 2016-17, women accounted for more than half of the people accessing specialist homelessness and housing services. Compounding an already precarious situation, older women will often find themselves at the mercy of the private rental market.
2019
‘I really have thought this can’t go on’: loneliness looms for rising numbers of older private renters
Loneliness is increasingly recognised worldwide as a critical social issue and one of the major health hazards of our time. Our research shows older private renters are at high risk of loneliness and anxiety. This is a growing concern as more Australians are renting housing later in life.
2019
Themes:
Exploring the nexus of energy use, ageing, and health and well-being among older Australians
Researchers have argued that our understandings of energy efficiency should be re-defined to move beyond a concept singularly concerned with saving and cutting back on energy use, to one that acknowledges health, well-being and comfort. An ageing population has significant implications for energy policy, programs and advocacy in Australia.
2019
Themes:
Ageing with Choice Future directions for seniors housing 2019–2024
Like most developed countries, Australia has an ageing population. The number of people in WA aged 65 or over is projected to grow by 40 per cent to more than 500,000 by 2026.
Without access to suitable, affordable homes, more older people will struggle to balance housing and living costs or will be living in homes they cannot manage or maintain.
2019


"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."