Nowhere to live: Census data shows low incomes can't afford to rent a flat

That stark news comes from a breakdown of new Census data from the Housing Trust.

Read more: People tell council where they can put those Wollongong letters

According to the data only those households on a moderate income - between $1188 and $1781 a week - can afford a one-bedroom flat in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven LGAs.

Housing Trust CEO Michele Adair said those on lower incomes were either living in their cars, couch surfing, living in tents or sleeping rough on park benches.

"We know that women, often with children, are staying in violent and abusive relationships simply because they have nowhere to go," Ms Adair said.

"What is continuing to happen is that the face of homelessness is changing. It is now working professionals and people on otherwise moderate and productive full-time salaries that are also now unable to afford to rent a home."

Also, in Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama, larger properties, such as three-bedroom homes, are out of the price range of all but higher incomes of more than $1700 a week.

The latest Census information also showed that number of households in the region experiencing housing stress has almost doubled since the 2017 Census.

In 2017, around 14,000 were suffering while that figure has jumped to 22,700 in 2022.

"One of the things that is a really significant concern is that that data about the number of households in housing stress is already over 12 months old and in the last 12 months we have seen rental increases in the vicinity of 20 and 30 per cent," she said.

"Although in August last year on Census night there were 23,000 households already in housing stress - the vast majority of those being renters - we know the situation has only gotten even worse since then."

With cranes in the Wollongong skies forever building apartment towers, it may seem surprising that there is a rental property shortage.

But Ms Adair said those complexes were targeted at the wrong end of the market.

"A lot of commentators, particularly those in the private property industry and indeed many politicians, will continue to say supply will fix it," she said.

"The economic reality is we have never built more properties than we have built in Australia, and in our region, than in the last 10 years and they have never been less affordable.

"The market has failed to provide affordable housing and continuing to rely just on the market will continue to repeat the mistakes of the past decades."

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Illawarra Mercury website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.