Some Tasmanians pay up to 65 per cent of their income on rent, Shelter Tasmania says.
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Executive officer Pattie Chugg said the chronic shortage of affordable housing was forcing low income households to choose between food, heating or keeping their home.
She said budget priorities included increasing the targets for building affordable public and community housing to reduce the waiting list of more than 3,600 households and to assist the 8,000 low-income households living in private rental stress.
In its budget submission Shelter outlined 11 solutions to “help address and avert our growing housing divide.”
“The $60 million stamp duty windfall from the booming property market must be invested in new social housing and homelessness initiatives to help keep up with increasing housing stress and homelessness,” Ms Chugg said.
“The severe lack of affordable housing means that many low income Tasmanians struggle to find a foothold in the housing market and live in severe housing stress paying up to 65% of their income on rent.
“We need increased accommodation options for young people, the fastest growing group experiencing homelessness, including more supported accommodation in the North and North-West.”
One in three people seeking help from homelessness services are aged under 24.
“More people are being squeezed out of secure housing, with single parent families, young people and single people, including the elderly, the worst affected,” Ms Chugg said.
Retiring Tasmania’s public housing debt was a priority.
“That historic debt sees half of Tasmania’s annual federal public housing grant, or $16 million, being returned every year,” she said.
“A unique opportunity exists in this State Budget for Tasmania to harness the benefits of our successful economy to ensure no one is left behind.”
The Tasmanian budget will be handed down on Thursday June 14.
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