Julie Bugden has worked at the Shoalhaven Homeless Hub in Nowra since its inception in 2014 and admits that in those eight years she has never seen the local homeless situation as bad as it is now.
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The Team Leader of the SAHSSI (Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra) Shoalhaven Homeless Hub, Junction Street operation said simply "there is no housing available".
"We have got a massive problem," she said.
"This is the worst I've seen it."
In the service's first year of operation, Julie said they saw 265 new clients, which has now doubled.
"We are already up to 439 new clients and we haven't even finished the financial year," she said.
"I'm dreading what the future's going to bring in the Shoalhaven area.
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"It's only going to get a lot harder."
Originally established after the Housing Reform in 2014 as the "gap service", the Homeless Hub was to support the local specialist homeless services in Shoalhaven.
But it has evolved to be so much more and is now often "homeless people's first port of call".
"There was a gap in the service delivery when a client would be immediately picked up by the specialist homeless services like SAHSSI DV, John Purcell House, Care South, Rosa Rocc Care, and Southern Youth and Family Services," Ms Bugden said.
"The clients have to undertake an intake with the various services, which can take up to a week or two weeks. The hub was there to assist the clients until they could be allocated a wrap-around caseworker.
"When clients are in crisis and have nowhere to go, we can support them with their crisis needs and then do the referral pathways to organisations."
But Julie said the staff do way more than that - they support clients through the myriad and often daunting number of forms required for temporary accommodation; help with their day-to-day living and crisis needs; provide food and even tents "so they have a roof over their heads".
I'm dreading what the future's going to bring in the Shoalhaven area. It's only going to get a lot harder.
- Shoalhaven Homeless Hub Team Leader Julie Bugden
"At the moment we've had a few clients who haven't been able to secure temporary accommodation [accommodation funded through Family and Community Services which provides people who are homeless and have nowhere to go].
"They try the refuges first, but they are usually all full, and invariably they end up in any motels that might be available. But for some, where there are no accommodation options, they are simply living on the streets. All we can do is give them a tent and sleeping bag.
"They sleep in their cars, camp in the bush. We know they even go into the caves; people are even staying in tents in friends' backyards. There is just nothing we can do. It is also very challenging for clients that have animals as there is no accommodation to facilitate the pets either."
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And as for the number of residents "couch surfing": "who knows. I would hate to think how many there are".
"The Shoalhaven has some very experienced homeless services, and we all work together well but there is a real problem here," she said.
She said private rentals are almost impossible to find and often out of client's affordability; public housing is "maxed out" with often a two to three-year waiting list on priority if not longer.
"A lot of our clients are on Job Seeker, so they get around $580 a fortnight plus rent assistance of about $130 (when they secure a property)," she said.
"When I first started at the hub, some local units were in the $150-$160 a week to rent - now the same units are $270 per week - there's $540 off your allowance gone on rent - it's just not in their price range."
But she said she is seeing a disturbing new trend where "supposedly normal people" are becoming homeless.
"We are seeing couples, who both are working and if one has lost their job due to COVID or no work they can't cover the expensive rent with one wage," she said.
"Quite often they have children - and if they can't pay the rent where do they go?"
It's heartbreaking when you can't help someone and just have to turn them away with a tent.
- Shoalhaven Homeless Hub Team Leader Julie Bugden
Ms Bugden has also seen an increase, especially of late, of people who have been affected by the North Coast flooding disaster, reaching out looking for accommodation in the Shoalhaven.
"We have to simply tell them there is nothing here," she said.
"We don't even have enough for our homeless let alone taking on other regions.
"I feel for them because I know how hard they have been hit.
"Our staff are fully trained professionals but it's heartbreaking when you can't help someone and just have to turn them away with a tent.
"We do as much as we can for them but often there is no accommodation available to offer. I have staff in tears. They are upset because there is just nothing they can do. We have nothing more to offer.
"It's hard, you go home and you're lucky you have a roof over your head and can have a meal but you know there are people out there doing it really tough. Especially over the past few weeks when it's been bucketing down - tents just don't cut it."
She admits the solution is "not simple".
"We need more houses, more developments to bring more jobs and more housing," she said.
We need more houses, more developments to bring more jobs and more housing. We need more social housing. We need more transitional housing. There are no affordable private rentals. We need affordable housing.
- Shoalhaven Homeless Hub Team Leader Julie Bugden
"We need more social housing; we haven't had a substantial increase in social government housing.
"There are no affordable private rentals, homes that were rented out previously are being bought by people who want to move into them.
"The clients that are in private rentals are getting hit with increased rent rises and have to move out as they simply can't afford it."
If she could have a golden ticket?
"I'd like to see a lot more development, transitional housing (properties with caseworkers attached to them to support clients/residents) where people can live between three and 12 months, so they can get support and eventually move on to long-term accommodation," she said.
"You cannot put people straight into houses without support - they need the support, or you are just setting them up to fail.
"It would be good to have more boarding houses or units available and be supported with caseworkers, not big operations but smaller complexes, maybe four to six units - but it all needs funding - properties - and of course the land.
I have staff in tears. They are upset because there is just nothing they can do. We have nothing more to offer.
- Shoalhaven Homeless Hub Team Leader Julie Bugden
"Affordable housing is also needed so people who are working can purchase and own their own property.
"That is needed all along the South Coast, not just in the Shoalhaven."
Julie said it requires the efforts of all three tiers of government - local, state, and federal.
"Everyone is happy to listen but there is simply no money available."
The Shoalhaven Homeless Hub at 27 Junction Street, is open Tuesday to Friday 10am-3pm.
Services available through the Homeless Hub include visits from Legal Aid which visits weekly, Southern Cross Housing which visits fortnightly, and Centrelink is set to return with regular visits.
The Shoalhaven Family Counselling Service also operates out of the Hub.
The Hub also provides food, toiletries, tents, and sleeping bags, together with access to laundry, bathroom, and shower facilities for the homeless in our community.
If you or anyone you know needs help, please call:
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
MensLine Australia 1300 789 978
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36
Headspace 1800 650 890
QLife 1800 184 527
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