Councils' help with affordable housing shows how local government can make a difference

Tasmania is in the grip of a rental housing affordability crisis. What do local governments do to help? Rural areas in particular lack rental options. To find housing, older people living in rural areas may often face a heartbreaking decision to leave the community. We wanted to know whether local governments recognised this issue and actively helped seniors to continue living in their communities. We found much more. Local governments have not traditionally been recognised as housing providers, yet many of Tasmania’s 29 local councils do provide subsidised accommodation.