Queensland social housing tenants are the happiest in Australia, according to a recent survey.
The latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) found most social housing tenants feel positively about their situation.
More than nine in 10 reported benefits such as feeling more settled, and being able to manage rent and money better and continue living in their local area.
The report, National Social Housing Survey 2018, looks at the experiences of tenants in public housing, community housing, and state-owned and managed Indigenous housing (SOMIH) across a range of indicators.
These include tenant satisfaction with services and the amenity and location of their home.
“Social housing programs aim to provide rental housing at below market rates to low-to-moderate income Australians who may otherwise struggle to find affordable housing,” said AIHW spokesperson Matthew James.
The report shows that social housing tenants’ satisfaction with their housing provider varied across the three program types, with community housing tenants recording the highest satisfaction nationally (80 per cent) followed by public housing (74 per cent) and SOMIH (66 per cent).
Tenants in Queensland, including the Bundaberg Region, reported higher rates of satisfaction than those in the rest of Australia at 85 per cent, which was underpinned by a strong result for Queensland public housing at 87 per cent.
“Tenant satisfaction is closely associated with the condition of their home, with lower satisfaction recorded among tenants living in homes with structural problems or problems with amenities,” Mr James said.
In recent years, social housing has been targeted more to those in greatest need, including people who are homeless, live with disability, or are experiencing family or domestic violence.
“It is important to note the role social housing plays in assisting people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless,” Mr James said.
