Housing insecurity

Summary

Lower income renters’ experiences of housing insecurity have six important dimensions: needing to move as a result of circumstances outside a person’s control, instability in housing circumstances, feeling unsafe within the home and its environs, lack of privacy, lack of supportive relationships and connection to the local community, and lack of comfort. Compounded by other aspects of social and economic disadvantages, the result is social exclusion. Increasing the supply of affordable rental housing, addressing factors that impact on tenants’ safety, and maintaining the property in an acceptable condition, are key steps in addressing housing insecurity.


Project Number: 50361
Research Theme: Private_rental, Social_wellbeing
Project Leader: Hulse, Kath
Funding Year: 2007
Research Centre: Swinburne-Monash

Research and Policy Bulletin

Research & Policy Bulletin

Issue 113: Housing insecurity and its link to the social inclusion agenda

Lower income renters' experiences of housing insecurity have six important dimensions. Compounded by other aspects of social and economic disadvantages, the result is social exclusion.

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Description

This research developed a framework for understanding the various dimensions of housing insecurity for households receiving housing assistance. Through a re-analysis of qualitative data from 145 interviews (from two of AHURI's National Research Ventures) the research examined the relationships between the various dimensions of housing insecurity and outcomes such as employment, health, well being, and belonging.

The key findings of the research are:

  • There are six dimensions to the concept of housing insecurity, as experienced by low income households receiving housing assistance:
    1. Lack of privacy.
    2. Lack of belonging.
    3. Lack of physical comfort.
    4. Housing mobility (residential moves by choice).
    5. Housing instability (forced residential moves).
    6. Feeling unsafe.
  • There are links between these six dimensions of housing insecurity and a range of broader economic, social and psychological outcomes; e.g. employment, health, finances.
  • The policy implications are clear - improving the housing circumstances of households receiving housing assistance, for example by improving their housing insecurity, will create benefits, not only for those households, but for the economy and society at large. The report details a number of reform options for improving housing security.

More Information

Download now Final Report: No. 124: Housing insecurity and precarious living: an Australian exploration
819 KB PDF Document

Download now Research and Policy Bulletin: Issue 113: Housing insecurity and its link to the social inclusion agenda
381 KB PDF Document

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