”I won't move to a one bedroom dog box”: The challenges of downsizing for older social housing tenants in Queensland, Australia

Older tenants living in detached dwellings occupy much of Australia's social housing landscape. As these tenants age, many find themselves living alone in two, three or more-bedroom homes, which authorities perceive as under-occupied. In this research of over 150 older social housing tenants in Logan, Queensland, the surprising finding was that most of the older tenants interviewed wanted to stay in their homes, despite the number of bedrooms and the size of the yard. Each of the spare bedrooms had a purpose, and the sentimental attachment to the family home was strong. This represents a serious dilemma for social housing agencies who face pressure from long waiting lists and limited housing stock. The identification of a number of 'potential movers' among the sample group, assisted the researchers to investigate the key factors that would motivate this group of older social housing tenants to move to a smaller home. If these factors can be satisfied in new housing, then older social housing tenants may be prepared to move to smaller homes. Understanding and delivering the factors that motivate a move is important for both older social housing tenants and social housing providers.