The worst hit area is New South Wales, where rough sleeping has surged by 51%, amid record low rental availability.
It’s not just those without employment sleeping rough either, according to The Australian Homelessness Monitor 2024 report, produced by the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland, supported by Homelessness Australia.
The proportion of employed persons receiving homelessness services jumped from 10.9% to 15.3% over the five years to 2022-23.
Nationwide, the number of people experiencing rough sleeping including on the streets, living in cars and in parks, rose by 22% in the three years to 2023-24.
In NSW, the alarming rise coincided with vacancy rates dropping from 3.5 per cent in March 2020 to below 1.5 per cent by late 2021 – a level sustained through mid-2024. While the rentals have dropped, there has been no increase in social housing availability, leading to challenging times for many people without a place to live.
Finding affordable rentals is a huge issue, with rental prices increasing, pushing many into homelessness.
“The findings highlight that housing affordability stress is not just impacting the most vulnerable but is now pushing working Australians into homelessness at alarming rates,” says Chris Hartley, Report Author and Research Fellow, UNSW.
“Without bold policy changes and sustained investment in social and affordable housing, the situation will only deteriorate.”
The fastest-growing cohorts within the population affected by homelessness and newly assisted by agencies over the past six years have been Indigenous people (up 7%), and older people, with persons aged 65+ up by 31% since 2017-18.
Prevention is key, says Dom Rowe, CEO of Homelessness NSW.
“We need greater investment in programs that stop people from becoming homeless in the first place. At the same time, the lack of affordable and social housing is leaving thousands stuck in crisis. NSW must prioritise building more social housing and ensure homelessness prevention initiatives are adequately funded to address the root causes of this growing crisis.”
