The Greens have today echoed Anglicare’s call for major investments in social and affordable housing, to ensure everyone can afford a decent home.
“Everyone should have access to a safe and secure home,” ACT Greens Campaign Spokesperson for Housing Rebecca Vassarotti said today.
“The latest figures from Anglicare’s rental affordability snapshot highlight with devastating clarity just how difficult-and in most cases impossible-it is for people on low and moderate incomes to find affordable rental housing.
“This clearly shows that the housing market is failing. When the old parties talk about releasing more land, they miss the basic facts; the market will not create affordable housing – we have learnt this over the past decade as we have seen housing affordability get worse and worse – particularly for people on the lowest incomes.
What has happened instead is apartments being built that people can’t afford to live in. Despite some investment in new social housing, it’s simply not enough. This means that we continue to see the proportion of social and affordable rental housing decrease in Canberra.
“At this unprecedented time in our city’s history, now is the time to get serious about making homelessness history and making housing more affordable.
“That’s why the ACT Greens have a comprehensive $450m package over the four years of the next Assembly to:
- Deliver 1000 new public and affordable rental houses over the next four years for people who need them. Not only will this deliver new homes, it’s also a welcome boost to the economy and jobs at the time it is most needed.
- Massively increase support for homelessness and domestic violence services.Properly fund policy and research development for housing and homelessness as well as advocacy services for people on low-incomes and renters.
- Establish an Indigenous controlled Aboriginal community housing provider.
“What we need is a massive increase in the supply of social and affordable rental housing that is targeted to people in need and the Greens have a plan that will deliver exactly that. Now is the time to make this investment – we can not afford to miss this opportunity,” Ms Vassarotti added.
