URGENT UPDATE: Rent prices in Western Australia are skyrocketing, leaving families like Elizabeth Wright’s on the brink of homelessness. In a shocking report, the Bankwest Curtin Economic Centre (BCEC) reveals that rental costs have surged by 86 percent since 2019, with median rents in Perth climbing from 350 AUD to 650 AUD weekly.
Elizabeth Wright, a 38-year-old single mother in Perth, has been forced to consider living in her vehicle. “I would build a secure load on the back of my ute,” she explains, detailing her plans for minimalistic living as she faces eviction from her sister’s rental. Wright’s plight is increasingly common across Australia, where 9,729 people experienced homelessness in WA as of the last Census, a staggering 114 percent increase from previous years.
The alarming rise in housing costs is driven by a 59 percent increase in capital city house prices, amounting to more than 373,000 AUD. Perth’s median house price soared from 463,000 AUD in 2019 to 851,000 AUD in February 2025. The crisis is exacerbated by a lack of protections for renters, who can be evicted without cause under Western Australia’s “no-grounds” eviction policy.
As the rental market tightens, families are feeling the squeeze. Shelter WA reports that nearly 25,000 people sought help from homelessness services in the past year — an 18 percent increase over the decade. Jordan van den Lamb, a housing advocate, warns, “We’re seeing 10,000 people experience homelessness each month.”
Despite recent government efforts to address the housing crisis, including the completion of 20,500 homes in 2024, WA still fell 5,000 homes short of its housing targets. Vacancy rates hover just above 2 percent, while 21,000 people remain on waiting lists for public housing, facing an average wait time of 151 weeks.
Wright’s situation highlights the emotional toll of the crisis. “I just want to give my daughter a secure place to grow up,” she states, revealing the harsh reality for many families. The latest BCEC report, titled “A Long Way from Home,” calls for urgent investment in rental and public housing, including expanding the Commonwealth Rent Assistance scheme.
Advocates are pressing for reforms to protect renters further, including a ban on no-fault evictions. Alice Pennycott, a principal tenancy lawyer, emphasizes the urgent need for change, stating, “We are not saying landlords shouldn’t be allowed to evict people. We just want a reason.”
As the situation remains critical, the WA government has yet to commit to abolishing no-grounds evictions entirely. The crisis continues to escalate, impacting thousands of families who are left to navigate a precarious housing landscape.
For those like Elizabeth Wright, the stakes couldn’t be higher. “It’s not just about statistics — it’s about recognizing the humanity of renters,” she concludes. As families brace for the possibility of homelessness, the call for immediate action has never been more urgent.
