94 Percent of Income on Rent: Australian Youth Grappling With Affordability Crisis

Youth aged 16 to 17 years old who live in shared homes in major Australian cities are grappling with a rental affordability crisis, even with income support. Homelessness Australia’s analysis shows that a 16- to 17-year-old teenager sharing property in Sydney spends 94 percent of their income on rental, albeit lower than 99 percent in the previous year. Meanwhile, Brisbane saw a sudden increase in the portion of youth income spent on rental from 76 percent last year to 83 percent this year. “Our policy choices actively conspire to push young people towards homelessness. Right when they need stability to take their first steps in employment or further education they are pushed into poverty, resulting in social exclusion, mental illness, and lost lifetime productivity,” Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin said....