Increase in number of clients financially assisted to establish or sustain tenancies
This measure tracks how many people received financial assistance to establish or sustain a tenancy. Timely, flexible support helps people stay housed and avoid the disruption and distress of homelessness. Prevention is often the most effective and least harmful solution for people at risk of losing their home.
Summary
Last year, Launch Housing provided $4.66 million in financial assistance to help clients retain or establish tenancies, similar to previous years. Funding for financial assistance programs has plateaued over the last five years despite demand continuing to increase.
Over the last 12 months, we have seen families spending a greater share of their income on rent
Financial assistance programs that help people with their rent, bond and rental arrears have been critical in preventing homelessness. Over the last 12 months, Launch Housing provided $4.66 million in financial assistance to help 2,903 clients establish or sustain their tenancies. This averages out to be $1,604 per client.
This represents a 7% increase in funds and an 11% increase in the number of clients assisted, compared to last year. The majority of clients assisted were women (two-thirds of all Private Rental Assistance Program clients), with single-parent households the largest cohort.
Families are spending an increasing share of their income on rent
This year, we lifted the rent assistance eligibility threshold to 60% of household income. Before this change, families in severe housing stress were being turned away because their rent was deemed too high relative to income, even though they were at risk of homelessness. With the increase in rental prices outpacing increases in income, the reality of the market is that many people now need to pay a greater percentage of their income in rent. The increased threshold reflects this new reality and ensures that those who are in severe rental stress are still able to access our support.
The adjustment means families spending a greater share of their income on rent can now access support through the Private Rental Assistance Program. This also means that those most vulnerable to losing their housing are not turned away because rents have outpaced outdated thresholds.
Over the last five years, funding remained stagnant while unmet demand continued to grow
As Figure 1 demonstrates, funding for these financial assistance programs rose sharply between 2021 and 2022 but has plateaued at around $4.5–4.6 million annually since then. This trend largely reflects changes in government investment in the Private Rental Assistance Program, which accounts for the majority of this funding.
Figure 2 shows the number of people financially assisted across all programs, with year-on-year variation reflecting shifts in funding levels and the intensity of support provided. For programs like the Private Rental Assistance Program, demand remains high, as rising rents and household costs push more families and individuals out of the rental market. This year, the team were approached 8,030 times for assistance from people seeking support, compared with 5,110 times in FY23/24. 2,218 individuals were supported with financial assistance, and many others through information, advice and advocacy. This shows the value of the program and the scale of the gap — far more people are seeking support than current funding allows us to financially assist.
Homelessness prevention interventions like the Private Rental Assistance Program show that small, targeted investments can prevent homelessness at scale, but capped funding is limiting its impact.
