Illawarra income-earners are among the growing cohort being forced into homelessness while they struggle to break into an impossible rental market.
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Wollongong man Tony, 44, his partner, and their two teenage daughters have lived in tents at numerous caravan parks for the past two years.
It's been an endless battle of constantly packing up and moving, having their belongings stolen, replacing tents monthly due to weather damage, and making sure their daughters are attending school.
"One of our daughters recently ended up in a mental health ward at Wollongong Hospital due to the stress involved with what's happening," Tony said, who wishes to keep his last name anonymous.
"We try to maintain their schooling, but it's embarrassing for them ... and it's only getting harder."
The family was forced to vacate from their Unanderra rental of three years after Tony suffered a heart attack and the property could no longer be maintained to the landlord's standard.
"My partner was working in Sydney every day and we couldn't afford a cleaner, so we got evicted," Tony said.
"We had passed every inspection until then. And we've been unable to secure another property ever since."
Both employed, Tony and his partner apply for up to 25 properties a fortnight and said they could easily afford rent.
They fork out $1000 per fortnight for two small tent sites at Corrimal, on top of other costs like Wi-Fi so his partner can still work from home, but are continuously priced out of the market by people offering six to 12 months advance in rent.
"You go to a property to view it and there are at least 60 people viewing the same one," Tony said.
"We've tried numerous times to get onto housing lists, but there's so much red tape involved in it.
"We earn too much so we aren't eligible for social housing at all. Centrelink doesn't consider staying at a caravan park as homeless. That needs to change."
In a nearby tent, Wollongong man James, 28, lives with his girlfriend and their dog who have also become victims to the Illawarra's rental crisis.
Despite being employed and having an impeccable rental record, James has been homeless for the past six months.
"I can't even explain how hard it is, with the heavy weather we're getting our tent gets flooded," James said.
"It's having a toll on my mental health. I work 11 hour days and I don't have as much time to look for properties anymore.
"My partner looks while she leaves the dog in the car ... it's just getting very hard."
James' girlfriend has been on a social housing waitlist for nine years and the pair have lived in temporary housing for 28 days.
Council-owned caravan parks allow people to stay for a maximum 142 days, and James isn't sure where they will go next.
"I don't know if we'll be living in our car again," James said. "We've already lived in our car for two months."
Two-income families left with nowhere to go
Housing Trust CEO Michele Adair said the face of homelessness is becoming much broader, with an influx in two-income households being left with nowhere to go.
"The housing crisis that we are now experiencing is hurting people on moderate to middle-upper income level salaries," Ms Adair said, "and there is no sign it is going to improve anytime soon.
"It's gut-wrenching and heartbreaking."
Ms Adair said the fundamental problem lies with a chronic shortage of affordable rental properties and that more must be done on all levels of government to form strategic housing plans in the Illawarra.
"There is a false belief supported by parts of government and the property industry that all we've got to do is build more housing to make it more affordable," she said.
"When local or state government make announcements about housing developments or land releases in West Dapto and Shellharbour - none of that - unless it is specifically dedicated and secured as affordable rental will make any difference to the housing market."
The average rental price in Wollongong has soared by 8.8 per cent in the 12 months to February, according to CoreLogic data.
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