Increase in proportion of clients, who received rent or bond payments, with sustained housing

With rising rental prices across Melbourne and Australia, many affordable suburbs have become inaccessible to many people. Our Private Rental Assistance Program (PRAP) provides people financial assistance to secure a new rental property. It also helps people hold on to their existing housing until they can find their feet. 

 Our work contributes to the SDGs 

With a highly competitive rental market, low-income renters either face increasing rates of housing stress or more severe housing stress. We expect many people will continue to experience housing stress over the next year.  

Previously affordable suburbs are now out of reach for many; a trend that is sadly expected to continue without greater systemic intervention. This highly competitive rental market requires our ongoing financial investment and tenancy management support to help low-income renters maintain their tenancies and others to find new tenancies, circumventing the homelessness services system.  

Launch Housing data indicate that clients, on average, paid 41% of their incomes on rent which pushed them closer into rental stress. By spending this high percentage of their incomes on rent, many people are just one crisis away from losing their housing. A car breakdown, illness, or a job loss could be the difference between having a home and being homeless. Our Private Rental Assistance Program (PRAP) helps ensure that their entire lives are not disrupted by one crisis.  

We know that, in addition to financial support, many of our clients need help with managing their tenancies. A rental property may be the first home in many years for some of our clients.  

Programs such as PRAP Plus work to support people with at risk tenancies and prevent evictions by providing case management, care coordination, education around issues like tenants’ rights and responsibilities, referrals and advocacy based on individual client situations.

Increase in clients, who received rent or bond payments, with sustained housing  

This year, we supported 3,473 clients with rental payments to provide them with sustained housing. This is a 29% increase in the number of clients we have assisted.  

There has been an increase in both rent in advance and rent in arrears payments for our clients.  

This year, 121 more clients received Rent in Arrears support. The second half of the year saw a surge in rent in arrears payments which reflects the broader increases in rental prices across Melbourne. Melbourne’s outer areas experienced even higher competition. People were priced-out of previously affordable suburbs such as the CBD and Frankston which exposed them to increased rental stress. 

This year, 323 more clients received Rent in Advance payments compared to the previous year. 

Launch Housing also helped a group of Afghan asylum seekers and refugees in early 2022 with bond support.  We are working closely with AMES Australia to ensure that newly arrived asylum seekers are supported with rental payments in the private rental market which keeps them out of the homelessness service system.  

We will work closely with clients who are returning to Launch Housing services after receiving PRAP support in the past year to better understand the reasons for an unsuccessful tenancy and provide targeted support. 

Number of clients who received rental support last year seeking support this year (Return clients) 

This year, 150 people, or 6% of the clients, who received PRAP funding last year received some support again this year through our emergency accommodation and crisis services. This indicates a likely breakdown in their previous tenancy. Out of the 150 clients, approximately 80% had received Rent in Advance and Bond support, while 20% had received Rent in Arrears support last year.  

Our impact would not have been possible without the support of our partners, particularly the REA Group donations to the National Rapid Rehousing Fund.

Thanks to our partners

Our impact would not have been possible without the support of our partners, particularly the REA Group donations to the National Rapid Rehousing Fund.