TURNING OFF THE TAP
Coast Shelter staff work tirelessly to provide support and guidance to our clients so that they can move into and sustain their own accommodation. However we face an uphill battle on the Central Coast, because of a severe lack of affordable rental accommodation and more than 12 year waiting lists for Public Housing.
Staff find it increasingly difficult to locate suitable rentals for our clients, the majority of whom have a very poor rental history. To overcome some of the discrimination our clients experience, Kara have set up a special 'dressing room' so that clients can dress up as though they are going to a job interview. The aim is to give a good first impression which is vital
as the market is so competitive.
Clients are now staying longer in our refuges because it is so difficult to find affordable rentals. In 2009-2010 our clients stayed an average of 81 days with us. This is 22 days longer than the previous year and unfortunately it means that the longer our clients stay with us, the more people we have to refuse crisis accommodation to.
In 2009-2010 we were unable to assist 58% of homeless people seeking accommodation because we had no vacancies. This is 1,242 men, women, children and youth who had to continue living on the streets, on couches, in cars or in abusive situations while they waited for help.
It seems that no matter how many additional units of accommodation we source, the problem of homelessness continues to increase. We simply cannot keep up with the demand.
This critical situation in the community is much the worse than people realise. More and more people are coming to Coast Shelter's Community Centre as they struggle to keep up with increased living costs. Luckily we are able to assist with electricity, pharmaceutical and food costs to help families avoid becoming homeless.
Much of the assistance provided through the Community Centre is what the Federal
Government calls 'turning off the tap'. It recognises that a single event may tip a vulnerable person or family into homelessness and that many factors usually combine to cause homelessness. The emphasis of the Community Centre is intervening early and providing a range of support to help people before they become homeless.
Unfortunately, the problem of housing for low income earners is quite complex. We all know that the cost of living far outstrips the meagre increases in fixed incomes and the chronic shortage of affordable housing for those on low incomes in Australia.
People can play with statistics as much as they like, but even with the extra 182 units of accommodation allocated to the Central Coast from the Housing Stimulus Package, waiting lists for Public Housing remain at between 12 and 15 years.
The answer to homelessness is not only in building new houses. It's also about 'turning off the tap' by providing extra support so that people can maintain their tenancies and avoid homelessness. This is exactly the kind of support Coast Shelter provides every day at our Community Centre in Gosford.
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