A new report featuring the voices of young people has been released by the Tenants’ Union of NSW and Youth Action digging into issues facing renters under thirty.

While other generations may have seen renting as a stepping stone to home ownership, escalating residential property prices places home ownership out of reach for many young people. As one survey respondent wrote, "Most of us will never own our own home and don’t aspire to it; we’ve given up, as we know it’s an unachievable dream... Renting is permanent for us." 

For too long Governments – and often the wider community – could look the other way and ignore the push to improve the renting experience, dismissing concerns on the basis that renting was only temporary but with increasing numbers of renters, and especially young renters, likely to rent long-term, Governments can no longer ignore the problems renters face. Tenancy reforms are critical to ensure young people’s wellbeing, quality of life and housing security.

Shelter SA regularly contributes to Parity Magazine, produced by Council to Homeless Persons (Victoria). We are pleased to share with you two of our most recent articles, Living in the Shadows (about rooming houses) and Empty Homes in the City of Adelaide, reproduced with kind permission from Parity. You can write for Parity too - contributions are not academic and may not need references - stories from the field, practice and lived experience are all welcome! If you are passionate about housing and homelessness give it a try and read the latest call for contributions exploring early intervention.