29 April 2015 Media release Women experiencing family violence trapped by lack of affordable housing, says peak Leaving family violence is made even harder for women due to a shortage of affordable housing, says Victoria’s peak body for homelessness, which today released data showing that there is only one Melbourne suburb – Melton - where a working mother could afford to rent a two-bedroom house on her single income. “Women who leave family violence are faced with the daunting task of finding somewhere they can afford to live on a reduced household income, and often with children to support. Many find themselves completely shut out of the private rental market, or paying far more than they can afford and at risk of homelessness,” said Jenny Smith, CEO, Council to Homeless Persons. The DHS data shows that a Victorian woman earning the average working wage of $842* per week would be paying 45% of her income to rent the average suburban two-bedroom house (Melbourne suburban median rent = $378/week, DHS Rent Report). There is only one suburb in all of Melbourne (Melton, median rent = $245/week) where a single woman earning the average wage could afford to rent a two-bedroom house without being pushed into financial stress. CHP’s submission to the Royal Commission into Family Violence will argue that a shortage of affordable housing deters women from leaving violence and keeps them homeless when they do leave. “Often people ask the question ‘why didn’t she leave?’. This data begs the question ‘where could she go?’ ,” said Ms Smith. “Single working women face an uphill battle to find an affordable home. For those who are out of the workforce, looking after children, the situation is dire with just 3-in-100 rental lettings affordable. “The crisis and refuge system for women and children fleeing family violence is bottlenecked, because even after escaping violence, there’s often nowhere affordable to go,” said Ms Smith. Downsizing to an apartment provides little relief; a woman on an average income in Victoria would be paying 43% of her income to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Melbourne Family violence continues to be the number one driver of homelessness. Last year, 60,000 women sought assistance from homelessness services because of family violence. Median rent for a two-bedroom house (DHS Rent report) Proportion of income spent on rent Mel ton $245 Avg weekly Victorian female wage (Averaged over parttime and full-time) $842 29% $597 Werri bee-Hoppers Crossing $270 $842 32% $572 $270 $842 32% $572 $275 $842 33% $567 $280 $842 33% $562 $280 $842 33% $562 Melbourne suburb Pa kenham Ha s tings-Flinders St Al ba ns-Deer Pa rk Suns hine $ left over 1 $280 $842 33% $562 $280 $842 33% $562 $290 $842 34% $552 $290 $842 34% $552 $290 $842 34% $552 $295 $842 35% $547 Na rre Wa rren-Hampton Pa rk $295 $842 35% $547 Nobl e Pa rk $298 $842 35% $544 $300 $842 36% $542 $300 $842 36% $542 $300 $842 36% $542 $300 $842 36% $542 $300 $842 36% $542 $300 $842 36% $542 Ya rra Ra nges $300 $842 36% $542 Sea ford-Ca rrum Downs $300 36% $542 $305 $842 36% $537 $310 $842 37% $532 $310 $842 37% $532 $310 $842 37% $532 $315 $842 37% $527 Sydenham $320 $842 38% $522 Croydon-Li lydale $320 $842 38% $522 $320 $842 38% $522 $320 $842 38% $522 $325 $842 39% $517 $330 $842 39% $512 Fra nkston Cra nbourne Sunbury Whi ttl esea Da ndenong North-Endeavour Hills Da ndenong Broa dmeadows-Roxburgh Park Cra i gieburn Oa k Pa rk-Glenroy-Fawkner Mi l l Park-Epping Thoma stown-Lalor Ba ys water Gl a dstone Park-Tullamarine Al tona Res ervoir Boronia Spri ngvale Ferntree Gully Berwi ck Ri ngwood Wes t Footscray Bundoora-GreensboroughHurs tbridge $842 $842 $330 39% $512 Hei delberg-Heidelberg West $330 $842 39% $512 Mt El i za-Mornington-Mt Ma rtha $330 $842 39% $512 $340 $842 40% $502 Kei l or East-Avondale Heights Cl a yton Donca ster East-Donvale Nuna wading-Mitcham Vermont-Forest Hill-Burwood East $350 $842 42% $492 $350 $842 42% $492 $350 $842 42% $492 42% $492 $350 $842 42% $492 $350 $842 42% $492 El tha m-Research-Montmorency $350 $842 42% $492 Wa nti rna-Scoresby $350 $842 42% $492 As pendale-Chelsea-Carrum Pa s coe Vale-Coburg North $350 $842 2 $360 $842 43% $482 $360 $842 43% $482 $360 $842 43% $482 $360 $842 43% $482 $365 $842 43% $477 $378 $842 45% $464 Pres ton $378 $842 45% $464 Foots cray $380 $842 45% $462 $380 $842 45% $462 $385 $842 46% $457 $390 $842 46% $452 $390 $842 46% $452 $390 $842 46% $452 $395 $842 47% $447 Chel tenham $395 $842 47% $447 Burwood-Ashburton $400 48% $442 $400 $842 48% $442 $420 $842 50% $422 $420 $842 50% $422 $430 $842 51% $412 $435 $842 52% $407 Wi l liamstown $440 $842 52% $402 Ya rra vi lle-Seddon $440 $842 52% $402 $440 $842 52% $402 $440 $842 52% $402 $443 $842 53% $399 $445 $842 53% $397 $450 $842 53% $392 $450 $842 53% $392 $450 $842 53% $392 Kew $460 $842 55% $382 Ha mpton-Beaumaris $460 $842 55% $382 $463 $842 55% $379 $468 $842 56% $374 $475 $842 56% $367 $488 $842 58% $354 $488 $842 58% $354 $495 $842 59% $347 $498 $842 59% $344 59% $342 Bl a ckburn Box Hi l l Cha dstone-Oakleigh Gl en Waverley-Mulgrave Bul leen-Templestowe-Doncaster Mount Wa verley Es s endon Mentone-Parkdale-Mordialloc Murrumbeena-Hughesdale Newport-Spotswood Coburg-Pa scoe Vale South Ba l wyn Iva nhoe-Ivanhoe East Bentl eigh Moonee Ponds-Ascot Va le Wes t Brunswick Ca rnegie Fa i rfield-Alphington Thornbury Ca ul field Fl emington-Kensington Ca nterbury-Surrey Hills-Mont Albert Bri ghton East Ma l vern East Ca mberwell-Glen Iris Bruns wick North Mel bourne-West Melbourne Ca rl ton-Parkville El s ternwick Northcote Ea s t Hawthorn Ea s t Brunswick $500 $842 $842 3 $520 $842 62% $322 $520 $842 62% $322 $530 $842 63% $312 $530 $842 63% $312 $540 $842 64% $302 $545 $842 65% $297 Ea s t St Ki lda $550 $842 65% $292 Pra hra n-Windsor $550 $842 65% $292 $550 $842 65% $292 $550 $842 65% $292 $550 $842 65% $292 Ma l vern Al bert Pa rk-Middle Park-West St Ki l da $550 $842 65% $292 67% $282 Toora k $563 $842 67% $279 $565 $842 67% $277 $580 $842 69% $262 $588 $842 70% $254 $595 $842 71% $247 Col l ingwood-Abbotsford Fi tzroy North-Clifton Hill Ca rl ton North Port Mel bourne Bri ghton Ha wthorn Ri chmond-Burnley South Melbourne St Ki l da Fi tzroy Arma dale South Ya rra El wood $842 $560 Media enquiries Lanie Harris, [email protected] or 0418 552 377 4
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