Blackbutt resident and former Shoalhaven councillor John Finkernagel knows what it's like to be homeless - for a brief period 15 years ago he was sleeping in his car.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It's part of the reason he's desperately concenred about the lack of available crisis accommodation in the Illawarra.
"I own a home now, but I always run into people who need a place to stay," he said.
"It's tragic.
"Often you can help just by making a phone call, but last Friday I know there were at least four people who had nowhere to stay and were told there would be no beds available til Monday."
Mandy Booker is CEO of the Wollongong Homeless Hub, and said demand for their services had risen by 42 per cent in the past year.
"We definitely are feeling the pressure," she said.
"People contact us daily because their rental property has been sold and they're not able to get another one.
"If people meet eligibility criteria they can access crisis accommodation for up to 28 days, but the rental market is so tight it's hard to get out of crisis accommodation.
"As a result, with COVID restrictions we're seeing people left without a bed at the same time as they're being told to stay put."
Ms Booker said the pressure was also taking a toll on employees, who face the challenge of finding a roof to put over other's heads as well as their own.
"Our workers are burnt out because they're hitting brick walls every day trying to find accommodation for clients," she said.
"We have workers we're concerned about losing because they're unable to find a rental they can afford for themselves.
"If they're having trouble, we are in a dire situation right now."
The Homeless Hub continues to provide outreach services for those they are unable to find a place for immediately, and Ms Booker urged anyone in need to get in contact sooner rather than later.
"The wait lists are long - but they're longer if you're not on them," she said.
She says the only long-term solution is for the government to invest in more social and affordable housing.
In the short term, any support the public is able to offer the Hub is gratefully accepted.
At the very least, compassion for those doing it tough doesn't go astray.
"We have clients who won't accept sleeping bags and swags because they can't get out of them quickly if someone approaches them and has a go at them," she said.
"People need to have compassion - we are at crisis point, this is not a choice, and people sleeping on the street, in cars or on trains are just trying to stay as safe and warm as they can through winter."
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.
