A recent count of rough sleepers in NSW recorded
1,623 people compared to 1,207 people last year, with 300* of those
people in the Byron Shire.
The count showed that regional areas are particularly
affected with not only Byron Bay, but the Clarence Valley,
Eurobodalla, and Coffs Harbour joining City of Sydney in the five
areas with the highest increase.
Homelessness NSW CEO Trina Jones said in the coldest
recorded June in 13 years people are bedding down on streets, in
tents and park benches because they dont have a safe place to call
home. This should not be happening in one of the wealthiest places
on Earth.
The rising cost of living and a dire shortage of
affordable rental homes is fuelling a homelessness crisis
across NSW.
Frontline services overwhelmed
Frontline services are so overwhelmed they can only
help half the people who present to them and must make
heartbreaking decisions about who to turn away.
For the local count Byron Shire Council worked
alongside the NSW Department of Communities and Justice to carry
out the street count in the early hours of 23 and 24 February
2023.
The Byron Shire recorded the highest number of people
sleeping rough in the state, ahead of City of Sydney which recorded
277 rough sleepers.
Heartbreaking but no surprise
Byron Shire Mayor, Michael Lyon said this is
heartbreaking but not really a surprise given the housing emergency
of the last few years, exacerbated by Covid and the floods. We have
an urgent and immediate need for assertive outreach services and
supportive housing options in the Byron Shire.
We are hopeful that the NSW State Government can find
money and resources to address the challenges facing some of the
most vulnerable members in our community.
We cannot solve homelessness without more housing,
its that simple.
Homelessness NSW today said that the government
must lift funding for homelessness services and build
more social housing after the annual street count found a
34 per cent rise in rough sleeping.
Trina Jones said Homelessness NSW acknowledges
the governments commitment to drive homelessness numbers
down and urge it to invest in the programs that work in the
September budget.
An end to street sleeping
We can end street sleeping but we need to invest in
what works. The Together Home Program supported over 1,000 people
off the streets into safe homes. Its funded for those currently in
the program until next year but doesnt have the resources to accept
new people into the program.
We are calling on the NSW Government to embed this
program in an ongoing way to support people to access a safe home
with support to keep it.
The government...