"Many people, through no fault of their own, can find themselves in a situation where they can't afford rent," she said.

More than a decade ago, a relationship breakdown meant Ms Ellison had to move out of the marital home when it was sold, and couldn't sustain paying rent. She inspected 55 rental houses, and was refused each time.

Read more: After a divorce and years of renting Lyn was facing homelessness at age 72

"I was on Newstart at the time, and the rents were leaving me $80 a fortnight to live on, and pay bills," she said. "I couldn't afford to do any of that, and I got knocked back."

She was essentially homeless for a couple of months, before eventually connecting with Wollongong-based community housing provider the Housing Trust.

For the past ten years, she has been living in a Housing Trust unit in Wollongong.

According to the NSW Government, as of June 30 last year, the expected waiting time for a studio/one-bedroom social housing property in the Wollongong City zone is five to ten years.

The expected wait time for a two-bedroom property is five to ten years; for a three-bedroom it's ten-plus years; and for a four-bedroom-plus property the wait time is five to ten years.

At June 30 last year, within the Wollongong City Zone there were 1232 general social housing applicants and 56 priority applicants.

Ms Ellison, now aged in her 50s, had been working in hospitality before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Since then, she has been working as a carer, doing volunteer work, and had "re-established a positive outlook".

She said it was crucial that more social and affordable housing be created.

"Even though there's a lot of systems in place by the government to help homeless people and those seeking accommodation, there's just not enough affordable/social housing," she said.

"Everyone needs to feel safe... When I came into housing I felt secure, and was able to start my life again."

Read more: Illawarra providers receive funding to refurbish social housing

Michele Adair, Housing Trust CEO and Community Housing Industry Association chair, said in addition to greater investment in social and affordable housing, the introduction of inclusionary zoning was necessary.

Inclusionary zoning is a land use planning intervention by government that either mandates or creates incentives so that a proportion of a residential development includes a number of affordable housing dwellings.

"(It would mean) every medium to high-rise development must have a minimum of 20 per cent affordable rental properties created, and that private developers must get the tax and fee waivers for that proportion so they can contribute to the creation of stock," she said.

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