New poll: Victorians agree – 12 years too long to wait for public housing - Call for extra 29,000 affordable homes in life of next government
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Eight out of ten Victorians believe low income households forced to pay more than half of their income on rent should get public housing within a year, according to a new poll published today by the Victorian Council of Social Service.
But such a timeline is a pipe dream in Victoria where, if poverty is your only problem, you could wait up to 12 years to get public housing.
The poll of nearly 1,000 Victorians was conducted by Essential Research for VCOSS in May and shows that 80 per cent of Victorians support the urgent provision of affordable housing programs to help get people struggling with rental costs back on their feet and into decent housing.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of VCOSS Carolyn Atkins said, “It’s a disgrace that at the average rate of allocation it would take 12 years to provide housing to everyone currently on Victoria’s general housing waiting list. VCOSS calls on all political parties contesting the upcoming State election to commit to delivering an extra 29,000 affordable housing properties over the next term of government to ease the housing crisis.”
“A boost in Victoria’s public housing stock would bring Victoria into line with the rest of Australia, but would still not be enough to house the 39,794 households waiting for public housing in this State.”
While housing that costs more than 30 per cent of a households income is considered unaffordable, households paying 50 per cent of their income on rent are in extreme housing stress.
“Paying more than 50 per cent of weekly income on rent means many households are forced to go without the basics for a decent living standard like nutritional food, heating or even school books and uniforms for children.”
For more information, or to arrange an interview
contact John Kelly – M: 0425 701 080Follow the conversation at www.twitter.com/vcoss
VCOSS
Level 8, 128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T: 03 9654 5050 F: 03 9654 5749 W: vcoss@vcoss.org.au E: vcoss@vcoss.org.au