Residents in affordable housing reflect the diversity of the communities in which they live, with a mix of ages and life stages. People have different needs at different stages in their lives and housing affordability can be one of the primary considerations when these life changes occur.
Young couples starting a family while relying on a single income, relationship break ups resulting in one household becoming two, people retiring on a limited income who have strong connections to their community - all these groups and more face challenges in living in an area that makes access to employment, health care and education possible.
Households in Sydney face particular challenges. Workers earning low-to-moderate incomes - either supporting a family or living alone - may find it difficult to afford accommodation of any kind in many suburbs.
The need for affordable housing will not necessarily involve lifetime tenure in a particular location or housing type but may be transient or medium term, depending on the life changes residents are experiencing. For example, younger households may return to double incomes within a few years of having children, health problems which required housing close to specialist medical care may be resolved, and older residents may move to residential accommodation specifically targeting their needs.
Affordable housing is particularly important for people earning less than the median income and paying a significant proportion of their income for accommodation. As at May 2005, the median income for the Sydney Region was $60,070 and for the rest of NSW it was $38,447. This means that nurses, bus drivers, office workers, construction workers, childcare workers and others may at some stage face difficulty in accessing and affording accommodation in NSW which is within reasonable distance of their employment.
While many will find accommodation they can afford in the private market, others will need to look for designated affordable housing. For those who do find accommodation they can afford, there may be significant sacrifices to make – for instance, they may have to travel two or more hours to work or share housing which is overcrowded.
People in affordable housing may pay a fixed percentage of their income on accommodation or a discounted market rent.
"I can afford to raise a child in a decent neighbourhood whilst maintaining quality of life that is just not possible in the private real estate market.”
Resident quote
“City West Housing enabled me to move back to the area where I grew up & where my mother has lived for 45 years. Previously I had to move away because I could no longer afford to live here.”
City West Housing project resident
Top of page