Over 55s Housing Solutions
In November, a 100-person roundtable of sector experts from services, not for profit and government addressed the housing crisis and its impacts on one of the most vulnerable and fastest growing homeless cohorts, over 55s.
This roundtable was the latest in a series of cross sector events presented by the Community Housing Council of SA and Believe Housing Australia, held to bring together many of the best minds and specialists to collaboratively develop strategies and solutions to deliver more housing in South Australia.
The next roundtable will focus on disability housing and is to be held on 28 February 2023.
Joe Capozza, Believe Housing Australia Acting Executive General Manager, said the focus on housing and homelessness in the recent Federal Budget was heartening, but that there was still much to be done.
“We hope that the release of the Housing Australia Future Fund, along with state government initiatives, and housing delivered by local housing providers, will all have a very real and lasting impact on the most vulnerable Australians,” he said.
“We know that we need the community, government and housing sector to work together to end this worsening crisis.”
“By 2056, it is estimated that only 56 percent of people over 65 will own their own homes, down from 76 percent in 2019. And this is for people on comfortable incomes. For lower income households, the ownership rate is expected to drop below 50 percent.”
Mr Capozza said the potential impact of reduced home ownership on the lives of older people cannot be overstated.
“Age is not currently a qualifying criterion for public housing in South Australia, and unless more public housing becomes available, this is unlikely to change,” he said.
“More and more older people are at risk of housing vulnerability and homelessness if they are stuck with the private rental market as their only option.”
It is widely understood that the rental crisis is exacerbated by the rising cost of living, escalating energy prices, and a severe lack of affordable rental accommodation.
The roundtables come off the back of the research report, Beyond the Housing Crisis – A Home for All, jointly launched by Believe Housing Australia and UniSA in 2022. The report highlighted a property market gone rampant and a housing crisis that sees more than 6,000 people experiencing homelessness each night in SA alone.
A Recommendations and Outcomes Report has been produced based on the collaboration at November’s Over 55s Roundtable. Click here to read the outcomes report. And register interest here if you would like to be involved in future roundtables. A First Nations Housing Solutions Roundtable is also planned for later in 2023.
Here are some photos taken at the Over 55s Housing Solutions Roundtable:
