Essential workers face ever greater challenges

Research tracks geographic patterns of rising costs and declining housing affordability Frontline workers in essential public services play a critical role in our cities, but new research shows it's becoming more difficult for essential workers to live within reasonable commuting distance of their workplace. Key findings: ·       The number of essential workers living within 15kms of Sydney and Melbourne CBDs is declining ·       there are now no Local Government Areas (LGAs) across Sydney or Melbourne with a median house price that is affordable to an early career essential worker ·       The number of affordable locations for essential workers has significantly contracted ·       Rates of home purchasing have declined and the number of essential workers in rental stress has increased ·       Affordability issues once contained to Sydney and Melbourne now extend to outer suburbs and coastal regional areas Developed with HOPE Housing , a new report led by researchers at the University of Sydney's School of Architecture, Design and Planning highlights the critical need for intervention and innovation across the Australian housing system to improve access for essential workers in areas where they need to live. The findings show access to appropriate and affordable housing is a systemic and worsening problem in Sydney and Melbourne, now extending to what were once affordable suburbs and coastal regional areas. The new analysis by Dr Catherine Gilbert , Dr Zahra Nasreen and Professor Nicole Gurran builds on a 2021 AHURI report which found evidence of  essential workers in Sydney and Melbourne struggling to afford housing within a reasonable commute of their workplace.