Poverty and Housing in the South Australia

August 11, 2025

South Australia is experiencing rising levels of housing stress, poverty, and homelessness, driven by a combination of low incomes, rapidly increasing rental costs, limited housing supply, falling provision of social housing and under-resourced support systems.

This briefing paper provides an overview of the current context, identifies key cohorts and regions most affected, and outlines opportunities for targeted, high-impact philanthropic investment.

The purpose of this paper is to refine next steps in The Wyatt Trust’s granting decisions.

This report has identified a range of potential areas for further investigation or prioritisation, with recommendations designed to reflect the unique role of philanthropy in intervening in housing stress and poverty in South Australia.