Across Australia, the rental crisis has hit breaking point \u2014 and for single mothers like Emily Clements in Perth, survival feels like a daily calculation. With rents doubling in just a few years and competition tougher than ever, even working families are being priced out of the most basic stability: a roof over their heads.<\/p>\n
Emily Clements, a 32-year-old single mother of two, works part-time while caring for her neurodivergent children. Her rent has jumped from $380 to $850 a week, outpacing her Centrelink payments. \u201cMy rent is $1,700 a fortnight, and my payment is $1,600,<\/em>\u201d she told SBS News. Without her father\u2019s help, she says she would already be homeless.<\/p>\n Clements isn\u2019t alone. At recent rental inspections, she faced crowds of 40 people \u2014 some offering up to a year\u2019s rent upfront just to secure a home. \u201cYou can\u2019t compete with that,<\/em>\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s terrifying<\/em>\u201d, reports SBS News<\/a>.<\/p>\n For many like her, the simple act of renting has become a battle. Perth, once among the country\u2019s most affordable cities, now ranks as the least affordable capital for renters. The 2025 National Shelter\u2013SGS Rental Affordability Index shows that households in Perth are now spending nearly one-third of their income on rent.<\/p>\n The affordability crisis extends far beyond Western Australia. Sydney and Adelaide renters are also spending close to 30% of their income on housing, while regional Queensland has become the least affordable regional market in the country.<\/p>\n Over the past decade, more Australians have been forced into lifelong renting, particularly women and single parents. Public housing has halved since the mid-1990s, while rents have grown faster than mortgage repayments. For low-income earners, every dollar spent on rent means one less for essentials like food, fuel, and children\u2019s therapy.<\/p>\n In Sydney, single mother Charlotte Karlsson-Jones pays 60% of her income on rent. \u201cIt\u2019s just impossible,<\/em>\u201d she said. \u201cEvery year, it gets worse.<\/em>\u201d She described a system that seems to only help once a person becomes homeless.<\/p>\n The crisis isn\u2019t only affecting tenants \u2014 it\u2019s now reshaping communities and businesses. Perth caf\u00e9 owner Ie-Tehn Kwee says high rents are driving workers away. \u201cPeople are moving back with parents or commuting over an hour just to make ends meet,<\/em>\u201d he explained. Early morning shifts are now starting at 4am wake-ups for many.<\/p>\n Housing advocate Robert Pradolin warned that rental stress is now \u201cthreatening the workforce itself.\u201d Essential workers \u2014 nurses, hospitality staff, carers \u2014 can\u2019t afford to live near where they work. \u201cIt\u2019s a housing issue, but also an economic one<\/em>,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nA Crisis Years in the Making<\/h2>\n
The Economic Ripple Effect<\/h2>\n
Calls for Urgent Reform<\/h2>\n