08-04-2025
Care For The Vulnerable: How Businesses Can Address The Housing Crisis
Goro Gupta, founder of Ethical Property Investments, transforms lives with disability-friendly housing, through ethical investment.
Record homelessness and a scarcity of affordable housing globally should make all of us consider who's responsible for offering housing and other support for people with disabilities and vulnerable communities. Is it government? Big business? Wealthy property investors? Everyday investors working to build their nest egg?
As people continue to hurt across the globe and government interventions plod along, how can business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors help address this burgeoning crisis?
The data presents a bleak picture. In England, over 79,000 households were reported as homeless or under threat of it in the first quarter of 2023. For people with disabilities, the situation is even worse. According to a report from Scope, "Disabled people are almost three times as likely to live in material deprivation than the rest of the population (34% versus 13%)." And many are unable to secure suitable accommodation that meets their accessibility requirements.
At the same time, the amount of U.K. social housing is in decline, from over 200,000 homes built in the mid-1950s, to under 10,000 in the last couple years. The private rental market, often the last resort for those priced out of the housing market, has become prohibitively expensive.
The U.S. situation is just as concerning, with homelessness reaching an all-time high of 653,100 people in January 2023. A stagnant-wage economy and soaring rents have made housing less affordable. The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University notes that in 2022, nearly half of all renters in the U.S. were cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward housing.
The housing crisis in Australia is worsened by escalating rents and a persistent shortfall of social housing. In 2021, "more than 122,000 people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness in Australia." That figure is rising now: Homelessness is up 22% over the past three years, with an additional 10,000 human beings every month who have no place to call home… unless you count the rising number of tent cities and people sleeping in their cars. Nationwide, Anglicare, Australia's Rental Affordability Snapshot, shows an extremely small percentage of listings are affordable for someone with a low income.
In Australia, between 2022 and 2023, approximately 25,900 or 9.5% of clients accessing Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) reported having a disability; 48% were already homeless. As for the waiting lists for social housing for people with disabilities, 37% or 148,000 households, included at least one person with a disability. And homes aren't always built with their needs in mind.
Socially ethical investing is one answer. Directing capital toward investments that yield financial returns while having a positive social impact is a win/win/win—for people who need homes, investors looking for good returns and society who'll benefit from the long-term ripple effects of people feeling secure, safe and cared for.
This means constructing affordable, accessible and quality homes for the people who need them the most. Ethical investors in Australia are investing in housing for people with disabilities and vulnerable groups through the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This approach, when done well, highlights how doing good means making money. Properties purposely built with features like wider doorways, step-free access and smart home tech are in such demand that vacancy rates are much lower in my experience, often outpacing traditional rental markets.
Co-living spaces and dual-key housing models are also creative solutions that maximize land use and encourage community and inclusion. Housing developments can add shared spaces for social interaction, like communal kitchens or gardens, to stave off isolation and improve mental health.
If you're a developer or investor looking to make a real difference in the housing crisis, understand that this involves more than building properties—it means building communities that last. Affordable housing isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. It has to meet the needs of the people living there. That means listening to the communities you're serving, engaging with local organizations, and working directly with those affected by homelessness and housing shortages.
Building strong partnerships is crucial. Teaming up with non-profits, local councils and advocacy groups brings expertise and real-world insight into the process. These organizations already know where the gaps are and can help guide your decisions. In Australia, I've found programs like NDIS provide funding support but link investors and developers with initiatives that can help reduce financial risk and increase demand for housing.
Ethical investing in affordable housing and homelessness solutions comes with challenges. Given the long-term nature of these investments, these developments often require a higher initial investment. And purpose-built homes, like those for disability accommodation, take time to design and build properly.
Investors and developers also need to factor in regulatory changes. Housing policies are constantly shifting. They come with the risk that government funding or rules can change. Staying connected with industry bodies and policymakers to stay ahead of any shifts in legislation.
Ultimately, I've found that investing in long-term, ethical housing addresses root causes and reduces the long-term burden on the public purse. The effects of stable housing go well beyond a person having a roof over their head. In my experience, families with secure housing are often more likely to remain intact, children are more likely to thrive in education, and communities can become stronger and more resilient.
The question isn't whether ethical investing can address the housing crisis. It's whether we're willing to invest in making it work. Business leaders and entrepreneurs have an opportunity to impact meaningful change.
The time to act is now. If not us, then who? If not now, when? Can we do good and make money?
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