Single mum claims she did not receive promised housing support after going public

A single mum who was living in a tent says she’s devastated after being promised short-term accommodation – only to find there was no booking in her name.

A homeless single mum on a disability pension claims she has been left in the lurch after being promised short-term hotel accommodation.

Meagan, 36, had been living in a tent at the Big 4 Holiday Park at West Beach since the start of May, when her previous rental’s lease was not renewed.

The single mum, who has severe epilepsy, said her 16-year-old son had been couch surfing while she slept “on a $300 per week piece of grass”.

She says she was working full time until her diagnosis in 2017 and had since struggled to make ends meet.

“I was having seizures to the point where ambulances would come to my house twice a fortnight,” Meagan said.

“We were looking for houses for four months … as soon as I lost my jobs and was put on disability pension it just wasn’t enough money, landlords wouldn’t even look at m.

“I got part-time jobs here and there but every time they found out I had epilepsy they wouldn’t call me back.

Human Services Minister Nat Cook offered to find accommodation for Meagan when she went public with her story on Friday.

Meagan was living in a tent at West Beach Caravan Park and pleaded for help on Friday. Picture: Tom Huntley

“(Hotels) will get Meagan out of the weather and on a better bed than what you could have in a tent,” Ms Cook said in a press conference.

Meagan says she packed up her tent, picked up her remaining belongings from her brother-in-law and headed for the Enfield Motel, where she was promised a room.

Ms Cook said records showed approval was granted at 4.42pm on Friday night for seven nights at the Enfield Hotel and Housing SA had spoken to Meagan and the venue directly to confirm.

But Meagan claims when she called to confirm at about 7pm, she was told there was no booking in her name and no rooms available.

With her tent packed up, the single mum said she was forced to sleep on her brother-in-law’s floor.

“Packing up the tent and then picking up my extra suitcases I thought, ‘oh my God yes, it’s finally happening’,” Meagan said.

“My son rang me yesterday in tears asking, ‘have we got a house, can I come home?’.

“Now, being promised what was promised and having to pack up a suitcase and two bags and not know where I’m going is even worse.

“That little bit of stability is gone.”

Human Services Minister Nat Cook has accused the shadow minister of using Meagan’s story for political pointscoring.

Michelle Lensink said Ms Cook “should have personally assured” Meagan’s accommodation.

Shadow spokesperson for human services, Michelle Lensink, who held the portfolio under the Marshall Liberal government, said Meagan reached out to her for assistance and subsequently organised a room at a Pooraka motel through Housing SA.

Ms Lensink claims Ms Cook “should have personally made sure the woman was safely in temporary accommodation.”

But Ms Cook has slammed the shadow minister for “exploiting Meagan’s situation” and taking her to alternative accommodation without contacting the 24-hour homelessness line.

“She would have been told there was accommodation booked for Meagan,” Ms Cook said.

Meagan, who is on the waitlist for public housing, has been told she can stay at the motel until Friday but doesn’t know where she will go from there.

“I guess I’ll get the tent back out … I’m devastated,” she said.