Extract from ABC News
Domestic violence and homelessness groups along with tenancy advocates say New South Wales is on the brink of a 'humanitarian crisis' in terms of homelessness.
Key points:
- Families who cannot find a home to rent are opting to live in their car and send their children to live with relatives
- Advocates fear the end of the moratorium on rental increases will trigger a "humanitarian crisis"
- One homelessness hostel had received 119 referrals for homeless people in distress in the past month alone
A rally in Newcastle on Monday was told crisis accommodation was at capacity and rental vacancies were virtually non-existent.
Nicole Grgas from the Hunter Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service says people are desperate and resources are stretched to the limit.
She says people who are now at risk have nowhere to go.
"And we are speaking to more tenants who have orders from tribunals that it is time for them to leave their homes, " Ms Grgas said.
Ms Grgas said some renters had looked at 100 or more homes, only to lose out to people willing to pay up to a year's rent in advance.
"People are telling us that they are not even able to get storage for their goods, that's how many people are in the market at the moment," she said.
Lack of housing widespread
Kelly Hansen is the chief executive for Nova for Women and sats the end of JobSeeker and JobKeeper, as well as the rent-rise moratorium, have created a perfect storm.
"I think that this is a humanitarian crisis and it is now going to be more visible to the wider community."
Ms Hansen said homelessness was affecting a cross-section of people, many of who had never been without a home before.
"Look around you, we have got people who are two-income earners getting evicted and they can't find properties, they are shocked, we are all shocked," she said.
It is a scenario not lost on Homelessness NSW chief executive Katherine McKernan.
"With the loss of JobSeeker and JobKeeper, we have done some economic modelling and in Newcastle, for example, we are looking at potentially an increase in homelessness of up to about 38 per cent and people living in housing stress [at] around a 70 per cent increase," she said.
And the problem has not been isolated to Newcastle with people at the rally told of a statewide crisis.
"And people are often separated from their children, living in the car or tent, while children stay with family."
More crisis accommodation needed
In November, the Minister for Families Communities and Disability Services, Gareth Ward, announced a $29-million expansion of the NSW government's Together Home project to address rough sleepers.
But a crisis worker from the Matthew Talbot Hostel said that was not enough.
He told the crowd the local hostel had received 119 referrals for homeless people in distress in the past month alone.
The rally ended with Jenny's story, read out by an advocate.
"This left Jenny with nowhere to stay.
"Jenny spent two nights in hotel temporary accommodation before entering a women's refuge."
The advocate then explained that because of severe injuries sustained at the hands of her abuser Jenny could not work, which meant she was priced out of the rental market.
"There are currently no properties in the Newcastle area that are affordable for Jenny.
"Jenny wanted you to know this, these are her words."
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