Young Australians face an unprecedented housing crisis that threatens their ability to live independently and with stability. High property costs and the record low rate of vacancies on the rental market have made it almost impossible for people under 35 years to purchase their own homes or sign even temporary leases for long-term tenancy (Tiwari et al., 2025). According to the Private Rent Report, rental prices have continued to climb across major regions, further limiting access to affordable housing for young people. This proposed feature article analyses the structural problems behind this crisis and its cost to the present and future generations. The following are some reasons forcing citizens who are full-time employees or university degree holders to live in insecure or unaffordable houses. House ownership, which used to serve as a rite of passage into adulthood, has become a dream that many young people struggle to wake up for. The piece will endeavor to find out why this is the case and ways of reversing the situation.
The Preferred Publication is The Guardian Australia’s Opinion section, where social commentary supported by robust data and human-centered storytelling is well received. This platform is perfect because of its progressive audience and focus on systemic issues of injustice, primarily where it deals with the youth’s impacts. The article will also include human interest stories, research findings, and policy analysis. It is aimed at educating the public, making people talk and helping policymakers to start doing something about it. According to Australia’s youth: Housing stress, many young Australians are experiencing increasing levels of housing instability, with affordability pressures significantly impacting their wellbeing and future prospects. It will also fit The Guardian’s tone of providing balanced opinions that have logical arguments and tackle current societal issues.
The article will open with a personal story highlighting the challenges many young Australians face struggling to find stable and affordable housing. Some work full-time and have a university education, yet they live an insecure lifestyle like many others, such as couch surfing or moving from house to house due to high rents. These are not isolated incidences but a reflection of what is happening across the country where the cost of living has risen more than wages. Abidoye et al. (2023) pointed out that rental prices in major cities have surged by over 20% since 2022, placing enormous pressure on young renters. Apart from exceptionalism, the article will identify structural factors that led to the development of the crisis. Some issues to be discussed include negative gearing for investors, social and affordable housing scarcity, and the impact of rental platforms like Airbnb in the market. Another reason is the absence of federal policies in urban development.
The conclusion will give policy recommendations to tackle the crisis in housing, such as the elimination of investor-friendly tax incentives as well as the establishment of rent control laws. It will also outline large-scale federal funding of community, rental, and other affordable housing as a long-term strategy. Potential interviewees for this article include a housing advocacy group, an urban economist, and a young renter to ensure a balanced and informed discussion. These voices will give a theoretical and real-world perspective to the problem while stressing that housing is a fundamental human need.
Planned interviewees include:
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A representative from Everybody’s Home (housing advocacy group)
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An urban economist from the University of Sydney
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A young renter experiencing housing stress firsthand
References
Abidoye, R. B., Ge, J., Ahiadu, A. A., Adilieme, C. M., & Swanzy-Impraim, S. (2023). Perceptions of Young Adults on the Critical Success Factors of the Build-to-Rent Housing Model in Sydney, Australia. Buildings, 13(8), 1892. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13081892
Tiwari, P., Tirumala, R. D., Kavaarpuo, G., Swanzy-Impraim, S., & Shukla, J. (2025). Investment Behaviour Towards Build-to-Rent in Australia. Buildings, 15(5), 679. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15050679
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