Only around 6% of people experiencing homelessness are sleeping rough.1 The rest are struggling in other, often less visible forms.
For instance, tertiary homelessness affects people who are living in unsafe, overcrowded or insecure housing below the basic community standard.
This type of homelessness can have significant impacts on a person’s health, well-being, and stability, and recognising it can help prevent even more severe living crises.
In this article, we explain what tertiary homelessness involves, how it differs from other types of homelessness, and common examples in Australia. Plus, learn how Home in Place can help people access safe, secure and affordable housing.
What is tertiary homelessness?
Tertiary homelessness refers to people who have somewhere to live on a medium- to long-term basis, but in accommodation that falls short of what most Australians would consider safe, secure and suitable housing.²
In this context, the minimum housing standard is a small self-contained rental flat, with a bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and some security of tenure.³
People experiencing tertiary homelessness tend to live in boarding houses, rooming houses, caravan parks or other accommodation where they don’t have their own bathroom or kitchen, enough private living space, or a secure lease.
As the person still has a roof over their head, tertiary homelessness can be harder to recognise than rough sleeping. However, if their accommodation is insecure, unsuitable or lacks basic self-contained facilities, it may still be considered a form of homelessness.
Since being recognised by the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Homelessness in 2001, this definition has continued to shape how the sector understands homelessness.
How tertiary homelessness differs from primary and secondary homelessness
Tertiary homelessness is one of three categories set by Chamberlain and Mackenzie, which differ based on the person’s living situation.² The other two are primary and secondary homelessness.
Primary homelessness refers to people without conventional accommodation. This includes people sleeping rough, staying in cars, living in parks, or sheltering in improvised or derelict buildings.
Meanwhile, secondary homelessness refers to people moving between temporary places to stay. This may include crisis accommodation, refuges, couch surfing, short-term boarding arrangements, or staying temporarily with friends or family.
Unlike these two categories, a person experiencing tertiary homelessness usually has a more settled, sheltered place to stay, such as a boarding house or caravan park. However, this accommodation still isn’t safe, secure or suitable enough to be considered adequate housing.
Tertiary homelessness examples
Inadequate housing can look different from case to case. Here, we take a closer look at the most prevalent examples of tertiary homelessness in Australia.
Boarding houses
Boarding houses, otherwise known as rooming houses in Queensland and Victoria, offer temporary accommodation to a range of residents. People living here may be studying, struggling to secure a steady job, travelling for seasonal work, suffering from mental health challenges, or fleeing domestic violence.
In 2021, 22,137 people across Australia were living in boarding houses, representing about 18% of the entire homeless population.⁴
In a typical boarding house, a person rents a single room and shares facilities like the kitchen, bathroom, laundry or common areas with other residents.
Unlike in a shared house, these residents usually don’t know each other and tend to have separate agreements with the operator.
Although this arrangement can provide affordable accommodation for people with limited housing options, it also comes with serious challenges.
Residents tend to have little privacy, limited control over shared spaces, no self-contained facilities and less security than someone with a standard residential lease.
However, not all boarding houses are the same. Some are regulated and provide safe, well-managed accommodation. Others may be overcrowded, poorly maintained or difficult for residents to treat as a stable home.
There are three types of boarding houses in Australia:⁵
Traditional boarding houses
Traditional boarding houses are generally a lower-cost option than standard private rentals for people on low incomes, living alone, or who need a place to stay quickly.
In Sydney, for example, rents usually sit between $180 and $270 per week, with some larger properties charging above $300 if meals are included.5
For some residents, a traditional boarding house can be a short-term option while they look for more stable housing. For others, it becomes a long-term arrangement because there are few suitable accommodation alternatives in their budget.
This is where the risk of persistent homelessness sets in, particularly if the accommodation lacks privacy, security, adequate facilities or clear tenancy protections.
New generation boarding houses
The State Environment Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) (AHSEPP) aims to boost the supply of affordable rental and social housing across NSW. As part of this initiative, new generation boarding houses were introduced for students and working professionals.⁵
This type of boarding house features private bathrooms and kitchen facilities, with some self-contained rooms resembling studio apartments.
As a result, the rents are generally higher than for traditional boarding houses, averaging about $350 a week in Sydney.⁵
This type of housing can offer residents more than a place to stay. With the right design and support, it can help people build independence, strengthen daily living skills and move towards more stable long-term housing.
For example, Home in Place is proud to have delivered this kind of boarding house in Newcastle under the NSW Government’s New Generation Boarding House Program. This community-based accommodation welcomes people with a disability, offering 10 private rooms designed around accessibility, comfort and connection.
Student boarding houses
Student boarding houses are designed for local or international students, often close to universities, TAFEs or public transport. They usually offer furnished rooms, shared facilities and shorter lease periods that suit study arrangements.
For students, this can be a practical and affordable option. However, it may become a form of housing insecurity if the accommodation is overcrowded, unaffordable, unsafe, poorly managed, or only available on short-term terms when the person needs stable housing.
Motels, hostels & caravan parks
When people are unable to secure permanent housing, they may turn to hotels, hostels and caravan parks. In 2021, the Census reported that 3,934 people were staying in temporary lodgings.⁴
Occupants can end up here after a tenancy ends, a relationship breaks down, a family escapes violence, a person loses employment, or suitable housing is unavailable within their budget.
While these forms of accommodation can provide temporary shelter when someone is facing sudden displacement or financial hardship, they generally aren’t suitable as long-term housing.
Rooms can be costly, overcrowded or inappropriate for families, and residents often have limited access to cooking facilities, little privacy, insecure tenure and no clear pathway to permanent housing.
Unfortunately, many people in these circumstances become trapped in a cycle where the high cost of short-term accommodation makes it difficult to save for a rental bond, advance rent or moving expenses.
Severely overcrowded dwellings
A dwelling is classified as severely overcrowded when it requires four or more additional bedrooms to adequately accommodate the people living there.
According to the 2021 Census, 47,895 people experiencing homelessness were living in severely overcrowded dwellings.⁴ That’s 39.1% of Australia’s homeless population, making it the largest homelessness category recorded in the Census.
This type of tertiary homelessness affects a diverse range of people, including low-income families, young people, migrant communities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A range of factors can contribute to overcrowding amongst these groups, including housing unaffordability, low household incomes, larger family sizes, limited rental availability and barriers to accessing appropriate housing.
Importantly, severe overcrowding involves more than simply having too many people under one roof. It tends to lead to a lack of basic privacy, inadequate sleeping arrangements, limited space for study or work, and restricted access to essential household facilities like bathrooms, kitchens and living areas.
These conditions can place considerable strain on family relationships and negatively affect health, safety and educational outcomes.
FAQs
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People are most at risk of tertiary homelessness when they cannot access housing that is safe, secure, affordable and suitable for their needs.
Higher-risk groups include people on low incomes, renters under financial stress, young people, older Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with disabilities, people leaving care or custody, and people escaping domestic violence.⁶
Importantly, housing stress isn’t limited to unemployed people, either. Working Australians can also be pushed into unsuitable accommodation when rising rents, low vacancy rates, insecure work or sudden financial hardship make stable housing unaffordable.⁷
Ultimately, both personal circumstances, including family breakdown, illness, trauma and domestic violence, and structural issues, such as lack of affordable housing and income, are key drivers of homelessness risk.
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While tertiary homelessness and hidden homelessness are related, they aren’t the same thing.
Tertiary homelessness refers to people living in accommodation below minimum community standards, while hidden homelessness is a broader term for homelessness that isn’t always visible to the public.
For example, someone sleeping on a friend’s couch, moving between relatives’ homes, or staying in short-term crisis accommodation may be experiencing hidden, but not tertiary, homelessness.
That said, the overlap between tertiary and hidden homelessness is important. Many people experiencing tertiary homelessness don’t appear in public spaces or ask for help straight away. They may still be going to work, school, appointments or family commitments while living in housing that is unsafe, overcrowded or insecure.
This is why homelessness in Australia is often misunderstood. Sleeping rough is the most visible form, but it’s only one part of a much larger housing issue.
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‘Below minimum community standards’ means a person has somewhere to stay, but the accommodation doesn’t meet the basic level of safety, security, privacy or suitability that most Australians would consider acceptable.
They may have a roof over their head, but not a secure tenure, enough personal space, proper facilities, privacy, or control over who they live with.
That’s why tertiary homelessness is often harder to recognise than rough sleeping. From the outside, it may look like they have a stable home. In reality, their living situation may be unstable, unsafe, temporary or well below what they need to live with dignity.
Not every person living in a boarding house or caravan park is automatically homeless. The key question is whether they have a safe, secure and adequate dwelling for their needs.
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Many people experiencing tertiary homelessness don’t identify as homeless because they still have a place to sleep.
They may compare their situation to rough sleeping and believe homelessness only means living on the street. Others may see their situation as temporary, even when it has gone on for months or years.
For example, a person living in an overcrowded home, an unsafe boarding house or a caravan park may describe themselves as “between places”, “staying somewhere for now” or “managing”. They may not realise that their housing situation still meets recognised definitions of homelessness or housing insecurity.
This matters because people who don’t view themselves as homeless may delay asking for support. Clear information can help people recognise when their housing is unsafe, insecure or unsuitable, and encourage them to seek help sooner.
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People living in unsafe, overcrowded, insecure, unaffordable or unsuitable accommodation can access immediate and long-term support through specialist homelessness services.
Depending on the situation, this may include emergency accommodation, safety planning, rent arrears assistance, tenancy advice, financial counselling, and help applying for social or community housing. They can also connect people with extra support for family violence, mental illness, legal issues or financial stress.
Remember that a person doesn’t need to be sleeping rough to ask for help. If their current living situation is putting their safety, stability or wellbeing at risk, it’s worth seeking support early.
A good first step is to contact a local homelessness service through Ask Izzy or speak directly to a community housing provider like Home In Place for personalised support.
Discover safe, stable and affordable housing in Australia
While tertiary homelessness is often hidden from view, it can have a serious impact on a person’s well-being, safety and security.
Community housing providers like Home In Place play a vital role in helping people move from housing stress into comfortable and stable homes. We provide community housing, affordable housing and emergency temporary accommodation for individuals and families across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
If you or someone you know is living in inadequate accommodation, help is available. Explore our housing options online, or contact our friendly team for personalised support.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023, Estimating Homelessness: Census, 2021, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 8 June 2026, https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/housing/estimating-homelessness-census/latest-release.
- Chamberlain, C & Mackenzie, D 1992, ‘Understanding contemporary homelessness: issues of definition and meaning’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, vol. 27, no. 4, pp. 274–297, doi:10.1002/j.1839-4655.1992.tb00911.x.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics 2012, A Statistical Definition of Homelessness, 2012, cat. no. 4922.0, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 8 June 2026, https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Latestproducts/4922.0Appendix32012?opendocument&tabname=Notes&prodno=4922.0&issue=2012&num=&view=.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2025, Homelessness and homelessness services, AIHW, Australian Government, viewed 8 June 2026, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/homelessness-and-homelessness-services.
- Sydney Local Health District n.d., Homelessness and rough sleeping, NSW Government, viewed 8 June 2026, https://slhd.health.nsw.gov.au/homelessness/about.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2025, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024–25: clients, services and outcomes, AIHW, Australian Government, viewed 8 June 2026, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/homelessness-services/specialist-homelessness-services-annual-report/contents/clients-services-and-outcomes.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2023, ‘Homelessness and housing affordability’, Australia’s welfare 2023: data insights, AIHW, Australian Government, viewed 8 June 2026, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/australias-welfare-2023-data-insights/contents/homelessness-and-housing-affordability.
