Housing affordability is a concern for almost two thirds of residents in the Shortland electorate who were surveyed for a new social justice report.
The Salvation Army's National Social Justice Stocktake Report says that while mental health was the number one concern Australia-wide, housing affordability topped the result for the local electorates of Newcastle, Paterson, Shortland and Hunter.
The survey involved more than 15,000 people of all demographics across Australia and was conducted to coincide with the upcoming federal election.
Shortland had the highest concern about housing with 61.5 per cent followed by mental health with 53.8 per cent. This was compared to an Australia-wide rate of 52.4 per cent for housing affordability and 53.9 per cent for mental health.
In the electorate of Hunter, housing was a concern for 60 per cent of people, while mental health was mentioned by 56.4 per cent.
Paterson had housing affordability listed as a concern for 58.4 per cent of people, and mental health close behind with 57.4 per cent.
Newcastle had the same percentage of concern for both issues, at 52.8 per cent.
Alcohol and drug misuse was the next most concerning issue for the four communities, with residents in Hunter the most concerned about this issue (46.4 per cent) out of the local electorates, while domestic violence and homelessness were other concerns mentioned.
Hunter Community Alliance organiser Callan Lawrence said the data reflected the stories he was hearing from Hunter residents.
"Unfortunately, homelessness and the risk of it due to unaffordable housing, mental health concerns, and domestic and family violence are things many people in the region have experience of," he said.
Hunter Tenants and Advocacy service Nicole Grgas said the concern about housing in particular was no surprise.
"We're not seeing any reduction in housing stress," she said. "The situation is becoming really desperate. Not only for people on low incomes - rent is taking up more and more of people's incomes."
She said the widespread housing stress was "a symptom of a failure to plan for changes in demographics".
"We've known for a long time we need more affordable housing and social housing where there is growth in population," she said. "There just seems to be small pots of funding to fix the problem."
Hunter Ageing Alliance's John Ward said housing affordability was of particular concern for seniors on pensions who don't own their home and older women fleeing domestic violence.
