One rent increase from disaster: older renters living on the edge in Western Australia, Summary report

Abstract

This project has been conducted in light of extensive research that is warning of rapidly increasing housing problems facing older people. The three main factors are: an ageing population, reducing rates of home ownership and significant increases in older people relying on rental accommodation to age-in-place in their later years. The objective of the Project is to increase awareness of older people’s housing issues across Australia, improve older people’s access to affordable housing and ensure better availability of services that can help older people in housing difficulty. More specifically the aims of this project for Western Australia are to: Identify what is the level of homelessness amongst the older population in WA and who is at risk of homelessness in WA; examine the current state policy frameworks that impact on the housing circumstances of older people in WA; identify what are the housing options that currently exist, what are their main characteristics and how do older people apply for them; identify what services are available to help older people access affordable and appropriate housing in WA; propose appropriate recommendations that will lead to a systems reform approach to improve assistance and housing for low income older people.