ACTCOSS welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Senate Inquiry into Affordable Housing, working with our ACT Housing Policy and Advocacy Consortium partners: ACT Shelter, the Youth Coalition of the ACT, and the Women’s Centre for Health Matters, to present a submission highlighting the critical issues affecting people securing stable, affordable housing in the ACT.
The submission draws attention to the issues facing housing and homelessness support services and the link between provision and availability of affordable housing and the rates of homelessness, not only in the ACT, but nation-wide. Particular focus is drawn on the continuation and expansion of the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) to increase access to the rental market for low-income earners and the need to address critical gaps in the housing market and housing support services, particularly in relation to some of the more disadvantaged and marginalised groups in our community.
