Demand versus supply side housing assistance: how do they affect client wellbeing? A case study of low income sole parents

This paper reports on an Australian research project that compares sole parents in public housing (supply side assistance) and sole parents in receipt of rent assistance living in the private rental sector (demand side assistance). The study aims to develop an understanding of sole parents’ housing tenure and housing assistance choices, and the impact of these choices on levels of satisfaction with housing and non-housing outcomes such as employment, childcare and education. It also explores perceived levels of social capital of sole parents in receipt of both types of housing assistance in terms of factors such as quality of local and friendship networks and feelings of trust and confidence.