Briefs

There is a complex two-way relationship between mental health, housing and homelessness, where major life events and a person’s circumstances (e.g. mental health status, housing engagement, income, family support etc.) interact so that mental ill-health can lead to homelessness and, vice versa, homelessness may act as a trigger for mental ill-health.

In contemporary discussion of public and community housing (collectively known as ‘social housing’) in Australia, the sector is often described as experiencing ‘residualisation’. What does this term mean and how did social housing become ‘residualised?’

Deciding when a house is underutilised, occupied efficiently or crowded is important in determining social policy about housing. With people living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings—the fastest growing category of homelessness—it is important to understand exactly what is meant when we refer to crowding.

The Australian Government has outlined the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme to support first home buyers who are struggling to save the large deposits (usually around 20% of purchase price) required to buy a house.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recognises a person as experiencing homelessness if they are living in a dwelling that is inadequate; has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations. From this overview the ABS defines six categories of homelessness: