‘Long-term consequences’: Rental market failing most vulnerable

South Australians on low incomes are facing the very real risk of homelessness, with new research showing only one per cent of advertised rentals are affordable to them.

The situation is even more dire for single people – including those on parenting payments with two children – with not a single rental meeting their income threshold.

Anglicare Australia’s 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot, released today, was taken on March 15 and reveals large groups of individuals and families competed for only 1836 private rentals advertised in SA – a marginal 12 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

Of the 1836 listed properties, just 19 homes, or one per cent of listings, were affordable for households on income support payments, while for a single person with one or two children

on parenting payments there were no affordable properties.

Meanwhile, 234 properties, or 13 per cent of listings, were affordable for households on a minimum wage representing a 2 per cent decrease compared to the previous year.

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Head of Housing Operations at Believe Housing Australia, Stacey Northover.

Nationally, the ACT ranked worst for rental affordability, with no rental property deemed affordable for singles on Jobseeker, parenting support payments, disability support payments and age pension.

Believe Housing Australia Executive General Manager, Housing Services, Stacey Northover said the Snapshot confirmed what most South Australians already knew: the shortage of

housing, soaring rents, stagnant wages, and inadequate government support are pushing ordinary people toward homelessness.

“When families are forced to choose between shelter and basic essentials like food, medicine,

warmth, and hygiene, and the housing market is not just unaffordable – it is unsustainable,” Ms Northover said.

“When families are forced to live in cars, tents, and motels, these are not just individual tragedies – they are social, welfare, cultural, and economic risks that bring long-term consequences for the state.”

Source: Anglicare Australia

She said South Australia was feeling the housing affordability crunch more acutely than many parts of the country and while every level of government had placed renewed focus on the housing issue in the state, this crisis demanded more than attention – it demanded action.

Incremental increases in Commonwealth Rent Assistance and one-off supplements were not keeping pace with real-world pressures, she said, and without systemic reform, thousands

would remain locked out of safe, secure housing.

Panorama apartments offering cheaper rent for South Australians

Tackling the housing crisis head-on is a new $13.7m, four-level apartment building at Panorama, which provides 23 affordable rentals significantly below the market rate.

The Believe Housing Australia-led project was delivered with the help of Housing Australia Future Fund, a dedicated investment vehicle to help build social and affordable housing faster.

During the recent snapshot weekend, HAFF funded homes made up eight of the 19 homes (42 per cent) deemed affordable and appropriate for households on income support payments.

University students Ali and Parya are among the tenants to secure an affordable home within the new Panorama development.

Ali and Parya at their Panorama home. Picture: David Klar

The young couple, both 25 years old, met five years ago and were engaged two years later, until recently they had been living part-time with each other’s parents.

“Ever since we got engaged, we’ve been looking for housing. But everything was outside of our budget,” Ali said.

“We’re both at university, I’m a PhD student and Parya is studying pharmaceutical science. Thankfully we have scholarships but in the current climate, it doesn’t really amount to much.

“With my research, I needed to stay within a reasonable distance to Flinders University, but everything was just completely out of our price range – we just couldn’t afford it.”

Ali, who is months away from completing his studies into multiple myeloma (blood cancer) and the design of nanotherapeutic treatments, said when they heard about the Panorama development, they jumped at the opportunity to apply.

“You propose to someone, and you try to build a life together, but you’re essentially jumping from house to house,” Ali said.

“But now this is incredible, and everyone living here has been in a similar situation struggling to find a home – it’s such a great community.”

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