The Melbourne suburbs renters can no longer afford to live in

The average rental household now needs to live 15 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD to find affordable housing.

A year ago, the National Shelter and SGS Economics annual affordability index found many inner suburbs — including Footscray, North Melborne, Carlton, Parkville and Hawthorn — were affordable, but this year’s report shows Melbourne rents rose by 16 per cent in the year to June and these areas are now unaffordable to many households.

Brotherhood of St Laurence chief services officer, Julie Ware, says “the private rental market needs reform”.

Press PLAY below to hear the desperate situation many Victorian households are in