Affordable Rental Incentives an Important part of National Plan

ACOSS welcomes the policy to increase private investment as an important way to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for people on low incomes.

Across Australia households are struggling to pay rent or mortgage repayments. Over half a million households pay more than 30% of their income on rent. Many low income people are forced to live in low-rent areas where jobs and transport are scarce. Over 100,000 Australians are homeless. National action is needed to address the housing affordability crisis.

Any strategy to improve housing affordability must also focus on the situation of low income renters through increased investment in community housing and not for profit affordable housing models.

We call upon all parties to:

  • Appoint a Federal Cabinet level Minister for Housing to drive forward the policies across all levels of Government to increase housing affordability;
  • Introduce a National Affordable Rental Incentive (NARI) Scheme to provide incentives to increase private and public investment in affordable housing;
  • Increase funding to progressively raise the availability of public and community housing stock;
  • Ensure that rent assistance best meets the needs for struggling renters and extending it to low income people who currently miss out.

ACOSS and its members look forward to working with all parties to ensure that all proposals best meet the needs of people on low incomes.

Andrew Johnson, ACOSS Executive Director said,”The new announcement of incentives for investors to commit to more affordable rental housing is welcomed as part of the plan to increase supply for people on low incomes. ACOSS would like to see all parties commit to greater investment in not-for-profit housing.”

Adrian Pisarski, Director of National Shelter, said, “This new policy announcement increases the housing supply which is fundamental to addressing affordability for low income people.”

Carol Croce, Executive Officer, Community Housing Federation of Australia, said “An initiative to address affordability for low income renters needs to be the cornerstone of any national housing strategy.”