The Community Offenders Support Program centre at South Nowra is part of the South Coast Correctional Centre, established to provide accommodation and support for parolees to transition back into the community.

Yet the centre has never been opened.

Shoalhaven Homeless Hub manager Kerri Snowden asked if the centre could be used to help tackle the growing problems of homelessness in the Shoalhaven.

“Why is a centre like this just sitting vacant when we have so many people who desperately need a roof over their heads?” Ms Snowden said.

“I cannot believe this is here.

“Why isn’t it being handed over to Housing NSW for temporary accommodation?”

She said under the new funding arrangements the Shoalhaven Homeless Hub was expected to cater for up to 156 cases through until June 30, 2015.

Since opening on November 4 it has dealt with 84 cases in November and up until December 12 had already recorded 76 cases.

“We’ve met our targets for the seven months of this program in a little over six weeks,” Ms Snowden said.

“These cases can be families, singles, anything.

“Some days we are dealing with 11 or 13 cases a day.

“Imagine the temporary accommodation a centre such as this could provide.

“People are desperate and we are dealing with some horrendous stuff.

“People don’t choose to be homeless. We’ve had a few clients with serious illnesses who can no longer work and they have had to give up their flats because they can no longer afford them or have been evicted.

“We’ve had people sleeping in the bush.” 

Chairman June Baker said she sees herself as a de-facto employer and holds real fears for the welfare of the staff at the Homeless Hub.

“I’ve observed firsthand what they are going through and as chairman it is my duty of care to look after the staff,” she said.

“They are being run off their feet. There is simply too much work for just two people. We have even been enlisting the help of the service’s adolescent family counsellor.”

Mrs Baker said she has written to South Coast MP Shelley Hancock asking for extra funding ($30,000) to be able to hire more staff.