Sharp increase in the number of homeless people across region
THERE may be more homes being built in the Macarthur region than ever before but a crisis is emerging as the number of people sleeping on the streets increases.
Macarthur
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THERE may be more homes being built in the Macarthur region than ever before but a crisis is emerging on our streets.
Census figures between 2011 and 2016 reveal an alarming increase in the number of homeless people in the area.
Campbelltown’s number of homeless people has increased from 645 to 928 in that time while Camden’s homeless rate has gone from 58 to 96. Wollondilly shire was the only council area to see a decrease in the number of homeless people, from 73 to 65.
Paul Mackin operates the We Are Macarthur charity, which provides services to homeless people in the region.
Five nights a week, volunteers from the charity provide hot meals, breakfast packs, toiletries, swags and other essential items
Mr Mackin said there appeared to be a significant increase in the number of homeless people in the community.
“I would say the awareness of the number of homeless in our region is becoming more apparent,” Mr Mackin said.
“In the past people weren’t aware of the depth of the problem in our area, as they tend to think most of the problems lay in the CBD area of Sydney.”
Mr Mackin said the heart of the problem involved a lack of affordable housing options.
“You see so many situations where people might be on unemployment or a pension or with disability services and they’re getting somewhere between $300 and $400 a week,” he said. “They’re paying nearly all of that or more in rent.”
Mr Mackin said an emergency accommodation centre was needed.
“We could have a drop-in centre where we could offer showers, wash facilities clothes or a meal,” he said.
“There’s really not much for people sleeping rough and that’s clear because we’re feeding people every night that are on the streets.”
Mr Mackin said many homeless people see their mental health decline.
“You don’t have a place that you can call home, you don’t have a place where you could even have a shower or sit down and eat dinner, things that we take for granted every day of our life,” he said.
“When we talk about people sleeping rough, it’s not just those on the streets, there are a lot of people couch surfing or living in very uncomfortable conditions.”
AFFORDABLE HOUSING SPARSE IN MACARTHUR
New developments in the Macarthur region are failing to accommodate affordable housing options.
Blue CHP chief executive officer Charles Northcote said affordable housing was at a premium in the area.
Blue CHP opened its Macarthur Gardens project near Macarthur Square last year which contains 56 apartments for rent and 45 for private sale.
Affordable housing is rented to eligible tenants at no more than 80 per cent of the market rent for a property or 30 per cent of a household’s income.
“All the planning consents in our area are not making provisions for affordable housing.
“We have a project in Jordan Springs, a Lendlease development in the north west, where 3 per cent is affordable housing.
“In Macarthur, none of the developments are making those provisions.”
Mr Northcote said giving people access to cheap accommodation helped them afford the basics of living.
“A roof over the head is the first step to being a contributor back to society,” he said. BLUE
Mr Northcote said despite perceptions, affordable housing could easily mix into new developments.
“People integrate into the community, you’re not creating a Claymore-type ghetto,” he said.