A research report released this week by AHURI investigated the key links between housing and poverty. The research looks at policy settings, tax and transfer systems, housing assistance and place-based dimensions and individual capabilities.
The cost of housing is a barrier to exiting homelessness for people living in poverty, whilst the exorbitant cost of housing can push people currently in housing into deep poverty, making it difficult to address its causes.
A number of issues are highlighted such as:
- The concentration of policies focused on subsidising home ownership is driving the role housing plays in Australian experiences of homelessness
- The ‘light regulation’ of the private rental sector in Australia is increasing costs and in turn perpetuating poverty
- The lack of transport and essential services for housing that is affordable to people on low incomes increases costs of transport for working, training and accessing services, adding to the cost of living.
Read the Executive Summary here.
