爆料王

Key Findings:

路听听听听听听 4 percent听 of听 Sydney鈥檚听 households听 are听 classified听 as听 鈥榞roup鈥櫶� (unrelated听 adults听 living听 together),听 rising听 to听 10.8 percent听 in听 inner听 Sydney.

路听听听听听听 A quarter听 of听 those听 seeking听 share听 accommodation听 indicated听 a听 rental听 budget听 of听 up 听to听 $200听 per听 week.

路听听听听听听 Less听 than听 5 percent听 of听 share听 vacancies听 were听 affordable听 for听 those听 in听 the听 lowest听 income听 quintile, highlighting while sharing provides a lower cost option, it is not necessarily affordable for very low-income earners.

路听听听听听听 Data听 suggests听 a听 tight听 market听 for听 share听 housing听 vacancies,听 mirroring听 the听 formal听 sector.

路听听听听听听 While the share听 housing听 market听 is听 a听 small听 component听 of听 the听 housing听 system, it plays an important听 role听 in听 supplying听 accommodation听 to听 those听 with听 limited听 budgets听 and听 options.

路听听听听听听 Online platforms have facilitated an informal housing share 鈥榤arket鈥�, connecting potential sharers beyond their social networks or local area, and enabling rapid and informal increases in rental accommodation during听 periods听 of听 high听 demand.听

The study, , recently published in Housing Studies, was conducted by Professor Nicole Gurran, Dr Zahra Nasreen and Dr Pranita听 Shrestha from the Sydney School听 of听 Architecture,听 Design听 and听 Planning.

Using Sydney, one of the world鈥檚 most expensive housing markets, as the case study, the researchers examined how people are seeking share accommodation using listings via online platforms, such as Flatmates.com.au, in the absence of a sufficient government response to an unmet housing need.

Living听 in听 a听 share听 house,听 鈥榝latting鈥�,听 or听 bunking听 with听 鈥榬oomies鈥�,听 has long been regarded an听 important听 rite听 of听 passage听 for听 younger听 adults听 leaving听 the听 family听 home.

However the rising听 barriers听 to听 home ownership听 and听 a听 shortage听 of听 affordable听 rental听 supply means听 that听 sharing听 is听 playing听 an听 increasingly听 important听 role.

鈥淲ithin these contexts, new sharing practices and informal markets for shared accommodation are emerging, often via online platforms. Through these platforms we are seeing a sustained demand for share housing exceeding the advertised supply rates,鈥� said Professor Gurran.

鈥淚n听 fact,听 this demand was despite a听 period听 of听 low听 population听 growth听 over听 the听 COVID-19听 pandemic,听 and听 despite听 wider听 opportunities听 to听 relocate听 to听 potentially听 lower听 cost听 housing听 markets听 while听 working听 remotely.

鈥淭his听 sustained听 demand听 for听 share听 housing听 implies听 that听 in听 expensive听 cities听 such听 as听 Sydney,听 affordability听 pressures听 are听 sufficient听 to听 outweigh听 preferences听 for听 privacy,听 autonomy,听 or听 housing听 amenity.

鈥淎s we know, there is a听 chronic听 shortage听 of听 affordable听 housing, and the longer-term听 implication听 of听 this听 study听 adds听 to听 the听 extensive听 volume听 of听 research听 demonstrating听 that听 policy听 intervention听 is听 needed听 to听 support听 and听 subsidise听 affordable听 rental听 housing听 in听 high听 demand听 locations.

鈥淚t听 is听 also听 important therefore,听 to听 ensure听 that听 future听 residential听 developments听 are听 able听 to听 accommodate听 different听 household听 types.鈥�

The study found demand听 for听 shared housing听 followed听 the听 contours听 of听 Sydney鈥檚听 overall听 housing听 market,听 gravitating听 to听 accessible听 locations听 near听 central听 employment听 areas,听 universities,听 train听 lines,听 or听 beachfront听 areas听 where amenities were easily accessible.

With vacancies听 being听 created听 within听 the听 existing听 housing听 stock听 - often听 due to existing听 tenure听 arrangements - the听 supply听 of听 share听 accommodation听 is听 likely听 to听 increase听 with听 higher听 housing听 costs,听 affordability听 burdens,听 and听 reduced听 vacancies听 across听 the听 formal听 rental 听market.

This informal market is becoming increasingly important as a default market to unmet housing needs. This is especially the case for vulnerable people in听 the housing听 system, those with income constraints, young people at transitional points in their life as well as 听workers looking听 for听 accommodation听 close to their job locations.

While these online platforms may support an increase in the housing market鈥檚 flexibility and responsiveness, the researchers say it also brings potential new risks for vulnerable听 renters , such as those with special housing needs, which听 therefore demands scrutiny听 and听 policy听 intervention.听

In听 this听 way,听 platform- enabled听 sharing听 might听 be听 regarded听 as听 an听 informal听 and听 rapidly responsive听 鈥榬elease听 valve鈥櫶� for听 the听 overall听 housing听 system听 during听 periods听 of听 high听 demand.听 And it is听 likely听 that听 the听 role听 of听 platform- enabled听 sharing听 may听 become听 even听 more听 important听 when听 population听 growth听 resumes.听

鈥淭he听 rise听 of听 online听 accommodation听听 platforms听听 opens听听 new听听 opportunities听听 to听听 view听听 these听听 hidden听听 arrangements,听听听 while听听听 also听听听 propelling听听听 new听听听 practices and policies.鈥� Said Professor Gurran.

鈥淭he听 policy听 opportunity听 is听 to听 repurpose听 platform听 technology听 for听 social听 good听 鈥撎� connecting听 the听 diverse groups of听 people听 now听 unable听 to听 access听 affordable听 rental听 housing听 in听 the听 private听 market听 鈥撎� with听 appropriate听 and听 secure听 alternatives.鈥�

听

Declaration: This听 paper听 is听 part听 of听 an听 Australian听 Research听 Council听 (ARC)听 funded听 research听 project听 (project听 ID:听 DP200103202)听 on听 urban听 planning听 and听 informal听 housing听 supply听 in听 Australian听 cities.

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