Sydney’s hidden housing problem

A new report released by the Sydney Policy Lab has found low income and vulnerable groups are being forced into informal and sometimes illegal housing arrangements, due to a lack of affordable alternatives. A new report released today by the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney has found low income and vulnerable groups are being forced into informal housing arrangements, such as share accommodation. Co-author of the report Professor Nicole Gurran from the University of Sydney's School of Architecture, Design and Planning said chronic shortage of social and affordable housing meant some people were forced to live in share accommodation, sometimes in severely overcrowded situations that contravene planning building regulations. "Sydney's ongoing housing affordability crisis is hitting low income and vulnerable groups particularly hard, they are now having to find accommodation through informal and sometimes illegal housing," Professor Gurran said. "These types of arrangements can go undetected and hidden from residential tenancy data as it isn't easily captured." Informal housing can include illegally constructed, converted or occupied dwellings, as well as informal rental arrangements not subject to standard residential tenancy agreements, including share housing and room rentals. Major policy reform is needed to reduce demand for informal housing types that present health or safety risks and offer inadequate privacy or tenure security. The report found affordability pressures have been further compounded by the loss of traditional sources of low-cost rental accommodation, such as boarding houses.