This week, 1-7 August is Homelessness Week 2022. Any given night in Australia there are over 116,000 people experiencing homelessness. Homelessness Week is held each year to raise awareness of the impact of homelessness on Australia, this year’s theme is, To end homelessness we need a plan. See here for more info.
Affordable, stable housing is fundamental to ensuring the economic, social, psychological, and physical wellbeing of young people, but unemployment, casualised jobs, increasingly high rental costs, and a lack of suitable housing makes transitioning to and maintaining independent living a challenge.
Like all other crisis, the ongoing Australian housing crisis has disproportionately impacted young people with low-waged renters the most affected. 24% of all people experiencing homelessness in Australia are young people aged 12 to 24 years old.
The pandemic has exacerbated this, with 1 in 20 young Australian were pushed into first-time experiences of homelessness during the pandemic. For young people who experienced homelessness for the first time during COVID-19, almost 87% were previously living in privately rented housing.
In SA, the vacancy rate for rental properties is the lowest in the country at just 0.3%, which has driven rental prices through the room. The median (middle of the range) rental price across the state is $476.78 (as of 28 July 22).
Since 2016 young people have been increasingly living in overcrowded dwellings and almost half of young people pay more rent than they can afford. Home ownership is significantly less likely for young people than in previous generations, meaning a majority source housing through the private rental market where young people face discrimination due to a lack of rental history and stereotypical assumptions.
Housing stress and homelessness has a significant impact on young people living in rural and regional areas, who have limited access to support options. Risks of housing stress through relying on living in overcrowded dwellings or couch surfing are increased for those living within inner regions while moving to live with family despite risks of isolation or violence are increased for regional young people.
Experiencing homelessness, even for a short period of time, can have long-lasting effects on a young person’s life. More than 55% of young people facing first-time experiences of homelessness during the pandemic experienced psychological distress and at least 35% reported their mental health and wellbeing as poor.
Young people experiencing homelessness are at risk of experiencing negative impacts in education and employment, mental and physical health. Experiencing homelessness at a young age also increases a person’s risk of experiencing persistent homelessness.
Young people can be supported to avoid experiencing homelessness with early intervention services. Urgent and significant investment from both state and federal governments can fund homelessness services to be able to provide family support, facilitate connections to local community and provide youth-specific housing and support services.
Building more social and affordable housing is important and welcomed, but only 2.9% of social housing tenants in SA are young people. Immediate and targeted support is needed now for young people, especially as they are disproportionately affected by the housing crisis. Homelessness preventative measures that create a well-functioning housing market can lessen the impact of housing stress.
Additionally, when population and inflation are considered federal government funding for housing and homelessness services has decreased over the past six year.
As the economic effects of the pandemic continue for young people, it is increasingly evident that an innovative response is needed in a recovery. Commitment is needed to ensure young people can access safe and secure housing through a comprehensive plan that includes rental reforms, housing supports, and social housing that prioritises young people. A youth-specific strategy to support families to stay together could lessen demand on the system if provided to young people at the initial stage of risk.
