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I’ve spent decades working in the planning and development industry, helping shape projects that contribute to the growth of our cities and communities.
Like many professionals in the sector, I’ve spoken about the housing crisis from a strategic and policy perspective – supply, infrastructure, planning reform, affordability and rental demand. They’re terms we use regularly across our industry.
But recently, the housing crisis became deeply personal.
I recently visited family in Sydney who had to make the difficult decision to leave their rental property due to the tenancy conditions making the unit unsuitable to continue to occupy for health reasons.
Despite having secure employment and a standing track record of being good, reliable tenants, they struggled to lock in a new accommodation and have spent weeks inspecting properties and submitting applications without success. In the meantime, they are paying rent on the apartment they had to vacate while also covering the cost of temporary motel accommodation.
Given how difficult it is proving for them, it poses the question of how people who are less equipped, perhaps less educated and don’t have the same means are able to find accommodation?
As someone who works in the industry, I never imagined I would see an immediate family member effectively facing housing insecurity in modern Australia despite doing everything “right”.
Unfortunately, their experience is no longer unique.
According to recent data from SQM Research, Australia’s residential rental vacancy rate fell to a critically low national average of 1.0% in early 2026. Several capital cities are now operating below 1%.
Hobart’s vacancy rate is sitting at 0.4%, Perth at 0.5%, while Adelaide and Brisbane are at 0.7% and 0.8% respectively. Even Sydney, despite its scale, is sitting at a lowly 1.1%, reflecting continued pressure from population growth and constrained supply.
In practical terms, these figures represent an extraordinarily competitive rental market where demand is significantly outpacing available housing stock. In a fair and balanced market, a household should spend no more than 30% of its gross income on rent, as that represents the absolute upper limit of affordability. Across Australian capital cities that figure currently sits at 32.34%, and in Sydney it’s an eye-watering 38.01%.
For years, I’ve been cautious about the overuse of the word “crisis”. It’s often applied too broadly and too quickly. But when it comes to housing in Australia, there is no other word that accurately describes the situation we now face.
This challenge has not emerged overnight, nor is it the responsibility of any single government or political party. It is the result of decades of undersupply, delayed infrastructure delivery, the unintended impacts of policymaking, the failure to release and rezone sufficient land, and a lack of long-term, bipartisan vision around how Australia accommodates a growing population.
While policy discussions around taxation, housing funds, incentives and affordability programs all have their place, the reality is that none of these measures provides immediate relief for Australians struggling to secure safe and habitable housing today.
At its core, this remains a supply issue.
Australia needs more housing – urgently. More homes to purchase. More homes to rent. More diversity in housing choice. And importantly, more coordination between planning, infrastructure and delivery.
Not every decision required to meet this challenge will be popular. Growth and increased housing density can be uncomfortable conversations for communities. But standing still is no longer an option.
The planning, design, construction and development sectors all have a role to play, alongside governments at local, state and federal levels. What we need now is action, not more process for the sake of process. Not more symposiums, white papers or lengthy reports that delay outcomes while demand continues to outpace supply.
Current forecasts suggest rental markets are expected to remain heavily constrained through to 2030, with apartment demand in major cities continuing to exceed available supply. Some suburban markets are already recording vacancy rates below 0.4%, highlighting just how severe conditions have become in certain communities.
We need practical decision-making, faster infrastructure delivery, and genuine bipartisan commitment to increasing housing supply across our cities and regions.
Australia has long been known as the “Lucky Country”. For many people, it still is. But for younger generations entering the housing market, essential workers trying to live close to employment, and everyday Australians simply seeking a secure roof over their heads, that sense of opportunity is becoming increasingly difficult to access.
We can, and must, do better.
Because housing is not simply an economic issue. It is foundational to stability, participation, well-being, and the future strength of our communities.
