A positive housing solution

Ask any twentysomething what their prospects are for owning a home and most say ‘dismal’. 

At the same time, at the other end of the career and age spectrum, a record number of Australians—nearly two in five in the most populous states of NSW and Victoria—are entering retirement while still paying off a mortgage. 

Imagine winding down your work-career at the age of 66 or 67 and still owing more than $100,000 on your home mortgage. 

The housing and cost-of-living squeeze is hitting Australians of all ages and stages of life. 

To date, state and federal governments seem to be blaming each other for not building enough new homes far enough, fast enough. 

The Opposition blames the federal Labor government for untrammelled immigration numbers—when they set up the conditions for the post-COVID migration boom in the first place. 

The Greens are piling on—arguing against a ‘big Australia’ on environmental grounds. 

Everyone seems to be looking for a scapegoat rather than a genuine humanitarian solution which will work. 

International student numbers are now being blamed for the problem, despite only accounting for 4% of renters in Australia according to a report by Accenture. 

Just two years ago, in the height of the pandemic, it was those same students who were working the toughest and most essential service jobs in our community. They were living six to a home in the western regions of Sydney and Melbourne. 

They were working on behalf of all of us in meatworks; in food-processing factories; in janitorial jobs in hospitals; in fruit-picking in farms; in aged-care facilities. 

None of these are high-paying sectors. None of them are glamorous. All of them were—and are—essential. Many sacrificed their own health to help us in our time of need. 

It is shameful to target global students—who themselves are often not rich and who saved for years to study in a dream-destination like Australia—for our own domestic policy failings. 

There is more housing pressure caused by the number of dwellings which are being land-banked and sitting idle, owned by speculators. 

Let’s not demonise one group through small-mindedness. Let’s find a solution that will endure. 

For example, The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) estimates that there are almost 13 million bedrooms in Australian homes. Only about two-thirds are in full-time use at any time. 

Why is this? 

Many Australian singles rent, own or are buying homes and apartments with multiple bedrooms and they are only using one of them. 

AHURI data shows that many retirees not in aged care live in homes with two, three or even 4 bedrooms. Over half of them are in mortgage stress. 

Why not solve two problems at once by providing incentives to liberate those unused bedrooms for a massive student (and global student) Homestay program. Instead of creating more ‘purpose-built’ student accommodation two years from now. 

Those in mortgage stress all over Australia could have a new, very welcome, form of additional rental income. Otherwise isolated 65-year-olds would have congenial, safe company. 

International students could contribute to the home, helping with chores like shopping, cooking and grass-cutting for a reduced rent—and would learn English faster too. 

And the best thing is the accommodation is already built. It could be populated right away. It does not have to be on the never-never of ‘new home building’ incentive schemes. 

It sounds like a win-win-win to me. 

To those who say ‘twenty-year-olds do not want to live with 65-year-olds’ I say: the world cannot continue to squander this opportunity. It might be exactly what both parties would love to do. 

To those who say, ‘what about the safety of both parties?’ I say—agreed. And Australia has already run exactly these sorts of Homestay programs for high-school age students—from Japan, from Korea, from North America—for more than 45 years. 

Organisations like the Australian Homestay Network are some of the most reputable in the world. If it can be done for 14-year-olds, why cannot it be done for twentysomethings? 

Clearly, it can. 

For all these reasons, I call for a massively increased Homestay program. Behind every number is a human being with hopes, dreams and talents. And behind every host is a potential house, home and experience of immense value. Let’s put these two together. 

Professor Adam Shoemaker is the Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University. Forty years ago, he was an international student himself—and homestay and group house opportunities defined his life in Australia.