All feedback received during the engagement period will be reviewed and used to consider amendments to the Affordable Housing Strategy. A summary of key findings will be shared with the community, and we will provide updates on how input has influenced the delivery of the strategy.

You can get involved by:

• Completing our online survey – link to survey
• Providing a written submission – Email your feedback to mail@onkaparinga.sa.gov.au by 8 February 2026.
• Sharing this consultation with your networks to ensure a broad range of perspectives are heard.

We encourage all community members to share their views. Whether you are a renter, homeowner, property investor, business owner, or someone affected by housing affordability challenges, your input is valuable in shaping delivery of the strategy.

In Australia, housing is generally considered to be affordable when a household is paying no more than 30 per cent of their annual income to buy or rent a home. This means households with low or medium incomes can still meet their other basic living costs. There are a range of subsidised housing options including:

• Affordable or subsidised rental housing – this is government subsidised, and typically available to people who do not qualify for social housing but don’t earn enough to rent at market prices.
• Social housing – this is an umbrella term for public and community housing for low income earners, rented at 30 per cent of the renter’s income. It can be owned and managed by either the state government or community housing providers.

Across the City of Onkaparinga, there has been a 78% increase in median house sale prices over the last nine years. The 2023 median house price was $607,500. Similarly, the median rental price has increased by 61% in the last 5 years, with the median rental price increasing from $330 in Sep 2019 to $540 per week in March 2024.

With a lower median household income in the City of Onkaparinga compared to Greater Adelaide, housing stress is on the rise. This is particularly true for renters with 35.5% of residents in our city experiencing rental stress compared to state (30.5%) and national (32.2%) figures in 2021. People who live in some suburbs are doing it tougher than others, with rates of rental stress above 40%:

• Hackham (49.9%),
• Aldinga/Port Willunga (44.1%)
• Aldinga Beach (41.3%)
• Old Reynella (41.2%)

Homelessness in the city is also on the rise, increasing at a rate of 30% since 2016 compared to 12.2% in the same period for Greater Adelaide. 44% of people recorded as homeless in the City of Onkaparinga are under 19 years of age. With social housing an option for only 4.2 % of the population, and a private rental vacancy rate of .66%, there are limited options for renters in the area.

Council plays a key role in:

✔ Supporting planning reform that encourages diverse and sustainable housing options.

✔ Advocacy at the state and federal levels to push for housing reforms and funding.

✔ Partnerships with community organisations, developers, and other stakeholders to facilitate housing solutions.

✔ Promoting the environmental and social benefits of diverse housing

The Affordable Housing Strategy is a long-term plan to address housing affordability in our city. It guides Council’s role in advocating for, planning, and supporting initiatives that improve access to safe, secure, and affordable housing for current and future residents.

The strategy aims to balance the needs of all residents by ensuring housing remains accessible while maintaining the character and liveability of our city. It aims to explore diverse and sustainable housing options that benefit the whole community.

The strategy is funded by Council’s operating budget 2025-26 through to 2027-28, Project and Capital Works processes, and external grant funding through state and Federal Government initiatives.

While this strategy does not directly address homelessness, the relationship between homelessness and affordable housing is clear with homelessness being higher in areas with a poorer supply of low-cost rentals relative to local demand.

The City of Onkaparinga supports people who are currently experiencing homelessness through a range of council activities and advocates for a preventive approach to homelessness.

Homelessness infographic

For more information on Affordable Housing please refer to Affordable housing • Renewal SA