Anglicare Report Highlights Dire Situation
The Illawarra region is experiencing a severe rental crisis, with Anglicare Sydney’s 2026 Rental Affordability Snapshot revealing a drastic drop in affordable housing options. The report was released on 30th April 2026.
During the weekend of March 14-15, 624 private rentals were advertised in Illawarra. For couples with two children earning minimum wage, only 4% of these were affordable. Single individuals found just 1% of rentals affordable.
Households relying on income support face an even more challenging situation. None of the available rentals were affordable for those on Parenting Payment, Jobseeker, Disability Support Pension, or Youth Allowance.
Rob Stokes, Group Executive of Housing at Anglicare, stated, “The great Australian dream used to be having a house to call your own, near family and friends, and close to work. Now people are lucky to find a rental that doesn’t immediately tip them into financial distress.”
Decline in Affordable Rentals
The report indicates an 86% decrease in affordable rentals across Greater Sydney and the Illawarra over the last five years. Back in 2021, over 1,300 affordable properties were available; in 2026, that number plummeted to just 184 for minimum wage earners.
In traditionally affordable suburbs like Blacktown, the South West, the Outer West, and Blue Mountains, only 3-5% of rentals were affordable. This highlights the limited accessibility in these areas.
According to Anglicare, the situation is dire for those on income support. Their research found that in ten out of eighteen areas across Greater Sydney and Illawarra, no affordable rentals were available for income support recipients.
Meanwhile, only the Age Pension allows some access to affordable rentals. However, there were just two properties affordable for couples and one for single persons.
Anglicare calls on the government to address the housing crisis. They urge reforms to increase the supply of social and affordable housing, improve financial assistance, and prioritise vulnerable groups.
Stokes added, “The time has come for us to stop circular debates about supply vs demand and instead make policy changes to ensure every Australian has the opportunity to have housing security.”
The complete Rental Affordability Snapshot 2026 is available for public viewing online at Anglicare Sydney’s website.
