Anglicare Sydney's latest research has revealed the impact of NSW's rental affordability crisis, with just 1% of rentals affordable for essential workers in Greater Sydney.
The - Rental Affordability Snapshot – Essential Workers, reviewed17,028 rental listings across NSW over a single weekend. finding:
- Only 1% of rental listings were affordable for essential workers in Greater Sydney
- Across all of NSW, just 3% of properties were affordable for essential workers.
- Across NSW there were only
- 3% (553) affordable for a school teacher;
- 2% (306) for an aged care worker;
- 1% (162) for a hospitality worker;
- 1% (228) for a social and community services worker.
- No affordable rentals were available for essential workers in the Northern Beaches and Sutherland.
- Regions with the largest number of affordable rentals were Newcastle & Lake Macquarie; New England & North West; Central West and Riverina.
Simon Miller, Chief Executive, Anglicare Sydney, said, "Nurses, aged care workers, teachers, hospitality and social services staff are the backbone of our communities, yet they are unable to afford to live in the communities in which they work.
"What that means is that essential workers are often locked into long commutes, which increases transport expenses, and costs personal and family time.
"Anglicare is calling for practical solutions through policy and development to address this issue both in the immediate and long term."
Rob Stokes, Group Executive – Housing, Anglicare Sydney, said: "The data is confronting: Greater Sydney has the most rental listings in NSW but the least affordable options for essential workers, while some areas show no affordable rentals at all.
"We need a reliable pipeline of well‑located affordable homes, backed by planning and renter‑protection settings that actually deliver keys‑in‑doors. That means unlocking faith and charity land for affordable essential‑worker housing, setting aside a portion of new major developments for essential workers, and incentivising delivery through including fast-tracked approvals, scale incentives, and tax concessions.
"It also means making use of 'meanwhile spaces', which is turning vacant or underused buildings into accommodation options. The State Government is already doing this for temporary or crisis accommodation, and it should be expanded to include affordable housing for essential workers," said Mr Stokes
Delivering solutions: 35 storey development in Merrylands
Anglicare Sydney is stepping in with practical solutions, and will soon be lodging a development application for a 35‑storey Affordable Housing project in Merrylands, providing a mix of one, two and three‑bedroom homes, with integrated services, gardens and community spaces to support residents and the local neighbourhood.
Rob Stokes said: "Where the market isn't meeting the need, Anglicare is acting. Our Merrylands development is designed to put well‑located, affordable homes within reach of the people who keep Sydney going, in a way that integrates services and community spaces.
Practical policy solutions to make change
Anglicare Sydney is calling for practical changes to support essential workers, including:
- Enable churches and communities to utilise land: amend planning rules so SP2‑zoned land owned by religious groups and charities can be used for affordable essential‑worker housing in NSW.
- 10% of new builds for essential‑worker housing: introduce mandatory inclusionary zoning for major developments across NSW, informed by local needs.
- Incentives for developments: fast‑track approvals for projects that include essential‑worker housing and introduce targeted tax/scale concessions to encourage delivery above the minimum.
- Meanwhile use: allow vacant or underused buildings awaiting development approvals to be used for short‑term essential‑worker housing.
- Strengthen renter protections and expand social housing to meet growing need.
Simon Miller said: "Access to safe, secure and affordable housing is a fundamental need. Without it, services suffer, workforce shortages intensify, and community wellbeing is undermined. We need action to address rental affordability now.
"Anglicare Sydney is ready to partner with government, councils and other providers on solutions that are practical and scalable, especially for those who give so much back to the community," he said.
About us:
Anglicare Sydney is a Christian not-for-profit organisation providing care to older people and community services throughout Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, New England North West, Central West and Norfolk Island. Anglicare has been serving those in need for more than 160 years, employing more than 5,000 staff and serving alongside 1,300 volunteers. Anglicare provides a diverse range of services including providing care through residential aged care homes, at home care services, retirement living communities, affordable homes for people over 55, community services for children, families and those experiencing social isolation, disaster recovery in times of crisis and helping to effect change through research and advocacy.
