Now she lives in an old car near a shopping center in Perth. The landlord turned the flat that Mary rented into a short-term rental, leaving her with nowhere else to go as she relies on the state pension and cannot afford any other option for accommodation. In contrast, her husband has been placed in care due to Alzheimer’s disease.
Mary keeps her belongings in the car, including a walking frame and a tin of rice pudding she eats daily. She occasionally finds places to stay, but only if they are within areas where there is a higher police presence because, after being attacked four times now, safety is one thing that concerns Mary most about being homeless. Being homeless made Mary feel like people looked down on her; it showed how society views those without stable homes as worthless or having less value than others.
Demand for Services Rises As Housing Crisis Deepens
Particularly affected are women, children, and Indigenous Australians while soaring house prices; record undersupplying of social housing units, among other things, have contributed to this crisis, which seems never-ending. According to statistics provided by St Patrick’s Community Support Centre CEO Michael Piu, “We’re seeing people from all walks of life coming through our doors seeking assistance,” – highlighting just how desperate things have become.
Is Housing A Human Right?
Whether or not housing should be considered a human right remains a mainly debated topic within Australian politics today. Wilson Tucker MP (Member Parliament) WA State Government had brought attention to himself recently when he revealed that he lived out his Toyota Landcruiser Roof tent during parliamentary sessions in hotels whenever required. This still wasn’t enough given the lack of affordable rental options; even someone earning such a high salary demonstrated a clear divide between those who have meant them necessary.
Federal MPs are considering whether housing should be a legally protected human right. A bill proposed by independent parliamentarians has gained the support of the Australian Human Rights Commission, but with government backing, it may pass. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has allocated $6.2 billion in his budget for housing construction acceleration, rent subsidies, and social housing expansion.
Proposed Solutions And Challenges
Charities for homeless people are asking the government to fund more services because they are struggling with demand. One suggestion is removing tax concessions from property investors, which would increase rental supply, while another idea is improving renter rights. During this crisis, landlords who increase rents have been criticized. However, the real estate industry argues that higher mortgage repayments resulting from increased interest rates have impacted landlords too much, so it’s unfair to blame them alone.
Cath Hart says that the rise in interest rates means landlords now have to pay 50% more each month in mortgage repayments, which puts them under added financial pressure as they try to maintain their properties as rentals. However, she adds that during COVID-19, fewer rental homes were already available due to measures brought about by putting caps on eviction moratoriums, saying investors pulled out of the market, further complicating things for those seeking accommodation.
