Bricks and mortar: Australia's housing challenges

Associate Professor Emma Baker

Associate Professor Emma Baker will progress her research on Australia's current housing crisis, thanks to an Australian Research Council's (ARC) Future Fellowship.

The School of Architecture and the Built Environment researcher will work on developing a theoretical framework for focusing on Australians who experience multiple housing problems.

The ARC Fellowship funding will provide $661,000 over four years. The support will be used to identify who most is affected by multiple housing problems, how this relates to individual health and wellbeing and the ways in which governments can best respond.

"Many Australians have housing that is unaffordable, poor quality, or unstable, however what you might not realise is that it is often the same people with not one, but many housing problems," said Associate Professor Baker. "My research will explore the combined effects of multiple housing problems and ways in which to improve the lives of the people affected by them."

Associate Professor Baker's core focus will be on groups who are particularly susceptible to multiple housing problems. This section of the community is often faced with housing that is not only unaffordable, but also in very poor condition. The instability of short term lease contracts also adds to the problem.

Associate Professor Baker believes that a chronic undersupply of affordable housing in the private sector has played a major role, alongside a lack of public housing.

"Basically, Australia's housing safety net is shrinking," she said. "Traditionally, public housing existed for people who couldn't find secure, affordable accommodation in the private rental market. Today, public housing is limited to people with high and complex needs.

"So, there is now a large section of the community, who previously would have been placed in public housing, that is left to fend for themselves in an increasingly [tight] private market."

With the last Census figures estimating that over 100,000 Australians experience homelessness every night, Associate Professor Baker's research is of vital importance to a nation that appears to be lost for answers.

"Ultimately, I hope to start a national conversation about multiple housing problems and contribute to the development of responses that improve outcomes for some of Australia's most vulnerable people," said Associate Professor Baker.