Residents have been focusing recently on a rash of development plans for multi-storey CBD buildings with hundreds of serviced or residential apartments backed by retail outlets and other attractions.
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They are all exciting ideas and would benefit the city, the real estate market, the economy and the community. Residents will be waiting to see them spring up over the CBD landscape.
The plans are a strong vote of confidence in the future of Dubbo, which has been riding the crest of a property investment wave.
But, we should not lose sight of the fact that there is an undercurrent containing a growing number of older people, particularly women, who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
According to a new report by Mission Australia on ageing and homelessness, the number of people aged 55 and over who are reaching out for help from homelessness services continues to grow.
Figures showing the size of the problem in Dubbo today are not available. The latest numbers are from 2011 when almost 400 people identified as being homeless in the Orana and Far West regions.
That number does not appear to be high, but it is dated.
There was a national 15 per cent rise in the use of homelessness services in 2015/16. That is worrying. Reasons given were the housing crisis (in the “affordable” category), domestic and family violence and financial difficulties.
None of those factors are new to Dubbo, where one in 10 people are under rental stress with rents at 30 per cent or higher of their earnings. One in 20 people reported mortgage stress.
The median Dubbo weekly rent is $265 and the median weekly mortgage is $379. The aged pension with supplements equates to $447 a week for singles. Take the outgoings from the pension and it is easy to see why there is stress among older age groups.
Governments and the Dubbo Regional Council have programs, which include creating more affordable housing and financial support.
But, Mission Australia is right when it calls for a review of payments to pensioners and increased funding for community organisations to support older people at risk of homelessness.
We need to ensure that everyone has a home – and a stake in our growth and success.