Single working women are being locked out Melton’s rental market, a new analysis reveals.
Research by the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP) reveals a single woman on an average wage of $882 cannot afford a one-bedroom flat in Melton without being in rental stress.
There are also fewer affordable houses for single women earning the average wage, compared to 2007.
About a decade ago, there were 52 suburbs across metropolitan Melbourne that were deemed affordable – this number has plummeted to 28 in 2016.
And unless state and federal governments commit to tackling the dearth of affordable housing, it will only get worse, CHP chief executive Jenny Smith says.
While Melton is considered one of the most affordable suburbs across the state, there were fewer one and two bedroom flats coming to the market.
Ms Smith said there isn’t enough investment in smaller properties in Melton.
“The housing market is a private market – and private developers have a responsibility to themselves and shareholders to make a profit,” Ms Smith said.
“Smaller units in outer suburbs aren’t always profitable.”
Ms Smith said “fierce competition” for one-bedroom rentals has made them unaffordable for average wage earners.
Subsequently, there’s been a boom in rooming houses, people living in caravan parks, and women sleeping in cars or couch-surfing.
“If it’s this hard for a woman on the average working wage to find somewhere affordable to live, imagine how hard it is if you’ve fallen on hard times,” Ms Smith said.
“The affordable housing crisis and homelessness are two side of the same coin. We can’t solve homelessness without increasing the supply of affordable housing.”
CHP wants the state government to invest more in affordable one-bedroom properties, and introduce inclusionary zoning, which will ensure 10 per cent of new housing developments are designated as affordable.
And it has urged the federal government to wind back negative gearing policies.
