This research paper examines the experiences of vulnerable people in the private rental market. It also discusses policies that affect outcomes for vulnerable renters.

The purpose of this paper is to establish the true extent of existing demand for social housing in Australia, and to model the potential future demand that could be created by shifts in the labour market as a result of automation and artificial intelligence (AI).

This research examined the housing aspirations of older Australians (i.e. aged 55 years and over), including home owners and renters in the private market and in social housing, to provide the evidence-base for policies needed to deliver their required housing and housing assistance.

The ongoing trend of increasing housing cost pressures on lower-income Australians over the past decade provides the context for the high incidence of financial stress, particularly among tenants in low-rent areas of Sydney and Melbourne.

Governments must find ways to urgently increase both the supply and size of affordable rental dwellings for people with the lowest incomes.