The impact of Housing Stress - Homelessness Week 2023

The demand for assistance from St Vincent de Paul Society NSW’s services and members has increased over the past year.

More than 9,000 people have been supported through our homelessness and housing services (increasing by 4.9% from the previous year), while 86,000 people have turned to our members across the state for assistance.

One of the largest drivers of hardship in recent times has been the soaring cost of housing due to exorbitant rental increases and higher interest rates.

Of the 86,000 people supported by our members, 46% experienced housing stress with the South, West and Metropolitan regions all sitting below the statewide average, while North West ranked slightly above average with 50% of people impacted.

Concerningly, the North East region, covering the Maitland / Newcastle and Lismore Central Councils, stands well above the statewide average with 54% of people spending upwards of 30% of their gross income on housing.

Housing Stress in Maitland/Newcastle

As Regional Director for the North East, Clare Van Doorn has seen the impact of the housing crisis first-hand, embodied by a growing number of people who are renting on the private market seeking assistance from the Society.

“There has been an increase in private rentals – up to 38% – with people saying their rents are going up and they just cannot afford it,” says Clare.

The surge in people seeking assistance for the first time from Vinnies members in the region has similarly been dramatic, rising from one-in-four to one-in-three in the space of 12 months.

With the median rent in NSW rising from $420 to $455 per week over the last financial year, the lack of social and affordable housing has exacerbated the crisis due to years of underinvestment and a statewide social housing waitlist of 57,000 applicants in NSW.

“There's just not enough housing for people. We've got exponential growth in housing, but not for the people that need to get in at that base level.”

Despite the challenges presented by the lack of affordable housing and strain on specialist services, Clare is heartened by the Society’s commitment to meeting the needs of people where they are.

“It has become harder to house people… but that hasn’t stopped our members and staff continually working to get the best outcome.Having the capacity to really look at what the needs are of the people coming to us and working with third-party referrals to make sure that we’ve got a stronger connection is really important.”

Plans are in motion for the Society to open support centres in Edgeworth and Maitland before the end of the year to better support the growing demand for assistance.

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Homelessness Week takes place from 7-13 August with the theme of “It’s time to end homelessness.” Visit www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au for more information.

Contact the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW on 13 18 12 for support.