More risk homelessness this winter as higher rents bite
Skyrocketing rents are one of the many factors putting low income families at risk of homelessness according to Sydney ANGLICARE.
With about one in four rent assistance recipients in NSW spending more than a third of their income on rent, the community organisation is expressing concerns during National Homeless Persons Week that this could be the tipping point that pushes people into homelessness.
According to Peter Kell, CEO of Sydney ANGLICARE, in some areas of Western Sydney requests for accommodation assistance have increased approximately fifteen per cent as people find it difficult to keep a roof over their heads.
Adding that some of the most vulnerable to poor housing affordability were women and children fleeing domestic violence, Mr Kell said more often than not, the stereotypical image of homeless men with mental health or substance abuse issues doesn’t fit the reality of those who come to ANGLICARE in need of support.
According to a recent report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 61 per cent of people who were assisted by the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) were women.
“An analysis of unmet demand for our own Carramar/Early Interventions program for young pregnant or parenting women during September 1999 to March 2004 provides a snapshot of the experiences of those aiming to access assistance,” Mr Kell explains.
“10 per cent of these women had been accommodated by SAAP the night before and almost 17 per cent were staying with friends or relatives. A further 11.6 per cent said they had relatively stable accommodation but were at risk of eviction. A concerning small minority were sleeping rough.”
Accepted estimates indicate 100,000 Australians are without secure and sustainable accommodation on any given night. Approximately 187,900 people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, received some form of assistance from SAAP last year. Of the 187,900 more than 69,000 were children.
Furthermore, while mental health issues are often cited as a causal factor, there are often a range of reasons why a person becomes homeless. Pathways into homelessness can include domestic violence, financial crisis, relationship breakdown within the family, or a shortage of affordable housing.
National Homeless Persons Week (NHPW) 2008 will begin on the 3 August. Targeting the issues facing homeless people in Australia, the week is designed to raise awareness about the complexities surrounding the issue of homelessness.
For more information about ANGLICARE programs or to support the organisation visit www.anglicare.org.au
