Housing in the state of Victoria, Australia is characterised by high rates of private housing ownership, minimal and lack of public housing and high demand for, and largely unaffordable, rental housing. Outside of Melbourne, home to 70% of the state's population, housing and rent is more affordable. In Melbourne, access to public housing is generally better, but housing and rent are less affordable. Public housing in Victoria is usually provided by departments of the Victorian state government and operates within the framework of the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, by which funding for public housing is provided by both federal and state governments. Since 2010, both Victoria and Melbourne have been experiencing a rapid increase in population, generating high demand for housing. This has created a housing boom, pushing housing prices up and having an effect on rental prices as well as availability of all types of housing. Private housing Private housing in Victoria is of a generally high quality, the majority of it being built post-war and late 20th century, however it suffers from a lack of access to public transport infrastructure and amenity, depending on its location. Many residents are forced into car ownership to enable access to amenities and services and to provide transport to and from work. Most of the infrastructural problems of private housing are also present in Victoria's rental housing. Public transport mode share in Melbourne is around a mere 10%, while many regional Victorian towns are lower. In the late 2000s, private housing prices in Australia, relative to average incomes, were among the highest in the world, prompting speculation that the country was experiencing a real estate bubble similar to many other countries. As of February 2007, mortgage debt was equivalent to 80% of Australian GDP. By 2009, it had risen to its highest levels of all time in Australian history, around triple the private debt during the Great Depression. According to the 2016 Australian census, 32.3% of dwellings in Victoria are owned outright, 35.3% are owned using a mortgage, while 28.7 are rented. Rental housing Rental housing in Victoria is currently in high demand under pressure from high population growth. As a result, rental housing can be difficult to obtain, particularly affordable rental housing. Prospective tenants often offer to pay more rent, several months rent up front and other incentives to landlords to secure housing. There is currently little or no rent control implemented