Latest Media Release
20 May 2020
New research reveals homelessness crisis for regional women
Shocking new research has revealed one in eight women living in regional Australia has been homeless in the past five years and one in four has lived in temporary accommodation because they couldn’t afford the private rental market.
The Women’s Housing Needs in Regional Australia report is the first national study into women’s access to safe, affordable housing outside Australia’s capital cities and involved 1039 women living on low to moderate incomes in regional areas.
YWCA National Housing and Property Development Director Jan Berriman said the research highlighted the gross inadequacy of existing stock to meet demand.
“One in eight women reported being homeless in the past five years, and one in four hid their homelessness from others,” Ms Berriman said.
“One in five women personally knew at least one other woman who was currently homeless and two-thirds said homelessness was a growing problem in their communities. More than half of the women in the research worried they could become homeless.”
Download supplementary media releases
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face homelessness crisis (PDF, 170KB)
- New research shows Gen Z and Gen Y women face housing crisis (PDF, 171KB)
- Regional women in New South Wales face homelessness crisis (PDF, 179KB)
- Northern Territory women take part in homelessness research (PDF, 171KB)
- Regional women in Queensland face homelessness crisis (PDF, 177KB)
- Regional women in South Australia face housing crisis (PDF, 177KB)
- Regional women in Tasmania face housing crisis (PDF, 177KB)
- Regional women in Victoria face homelessness crisis (PDF, 178KB)
- Regional women in Western Australia face housing crisis (PDF, 178KB)
Older Media Releases
- 31 March 2020: Fears of COVID-19 housing crisis for vulnerable families
- 7 March 2020: Alliance of women’s housing providers calling for increased funding for the sector
- 19 December 2019: Bendigo women to get footing on the housing ladder
- 27 November 2019: YWCA student-led social work program wins national award
- 10 October 2019: If a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its elderly and vulnerable, Australia is set to fall shamefully short
- 10 October 2019: New figures reveal Victorian women face growing risk of homelessness
- 20 June 2019: Housing in Australia is in desperate need of a gender lens
- 3 April 2019: Budget misses chance to house women
