More than 6,600 affordable homes are set to be wiped nationally throughout 2023, under the scrapped National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS).
The latest figures from the Federal Government show the ACT will lose 93 NRAS properties this year, plunging the Territory deeper into rental stress.
NRAS homes in Bruce will be reduced by 41, Bonner by 16, Gordon by 12, Harrison by 11, Jacka by 10, Narrabundah by two, and Throsby by one.
Community Housing Canberra Ltd will have 81 fewer affordable homes in 2023 and UnitingCare NSW/ACT will lose 12.
From 2022 to 2026, the ACT will lose a total of 1,083 affordable rental homes.
National spokesperson for Everybody’s Home, Maiy Azize, said the loss of the additional rentals comes on top of an already massive shortfall in social and affordable housing in Australia.
“Australia already has a social housing shortfall of 500,000 homes, and the rental market has never been tougher,” Ms Azize said.
“These figures show that we’re losing even more affordable rentals at a time when Australians can least afford it.
“With thousands of affordable rentals set to disappear, we need the Federal Government to step up and take action.”
Everybody’s Home is calling on the government to build 25,000 new social homes every year in order to “help end this crisis”.
Ms Azize said the increase in social housing would lift Australians out of rental stress and open up the market for people who need affordable rentals.
“Many Australian suburbs have hit record high rents and thousands of tenants are in rental stress,” she said.
“The government can start changing that from this year if it’s ambitious enough.”
In comparison to the ACT, Queensland will be the hardest hit by the NRAS phase-out and will see the loss of 2,499 affordable houses this year.
Victoria is set to lose 1,356 allocations and Western Australia will lose 1,110.
South Australia will have 806 homes removed while NSW will lose 605.
Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
