By Cr Jorge Jorquera
Never in most of our lifetimes has putting a roof over our heads been such a burden and stress.
The housing crisis is increasing in severity and feeding inequalities that will define the future of our children, and theirs.
Recent research from Everybody’s Home shows more than 40 per cent of renters and 40 per cent of household mortgagors living in the City of Maribyrnong are in financial stress.
This means in order to have shelter, almost half of our community must sacrifice other elements of their regular spending; including necessities such as food.
Additionally, of course, many families can no longer afford things such as organised sport for their children; fuelling other issues, such as mental health.
It is in this context that people in our community are now scrambling to find doctors who still bulk bill all patients.
Not surprising, when you consider the median employee income in our city is $55,146 and almost a quarter (23 per cent) of our community fall into the lowest income quartile.
Housing is at the centre of all this and is set to become more critical for much of our community, where compared to greater Melbourne, there is a smaller proportion of households who own or are purchasing their home and a larger proportion who are renters.
Now that the national vacancy rate has fallen to its lowest recorded level, tenants are facing increasing rents and many families struggling to find properties are being forced out of communities they have been part of for years.
More than ever, we need to advocate for real solutions to help people meet the most basic of human rights: a home.
