Single mum Emma Jeffrey despairs over living situation after 20 Hobart rental applications rejected

A single mum working two jobs has opened up about her struggle to find a place to live, as Hobart’s ruthless rental market threatens to leave she and her son homeless.

Single mum Emma Jeffrey has applied for 20 rental properties since being told in February that she would need to move out of her Risdon Vale residence.

She’s been rejected for every single one.

“Every house viewing, there’s at least 10 other families viewing the same property because they’re obviously in the same boat,” Ms Jeffrey said.

“I’m just so overwhelmed with everything. I thought I would have had a house well and truly by now.”

Ms Jeffrey works about 40 hours a fortnight as a school cleaner at Lindisfarne North Primary School and Rose Bay High School.

The four-bedroom home where Ms Jeffrey and her 12-year-old son, Declan, had been living – which cost $300 a week in rent – has been sold to a family that plans to move in.

She wants to find a new place to live that will accommodate not only her and her son but also their two dogs.

Ms Jeffrey said she had only just managed to get on the state’s public housing waiting list, where she joins more than 4400 other people.

For now, she and Declan have no fixed address and face the grim prospect of sleeping rough during the bitterly cold Tasmanian winter.

“I’ve heard so many stories (about the rental market) but I guess because I had a stable home I didn’t really acknowledge it as much,” an emotional Ms Jeffrey said. “But now, going through it, it’s like, ‘What the hell?’”

“And there’s so many more people (experiencing it) than just me.”

Franklin MP David O'Byrne. Picture: Kenji Sato

Franklin MP David O’Byrne said it was “heartbreaking” to see the struggles some of his constituents were enduring trying to navigate southern Tasmania’s ruthless rental market.

“My heart goes out to Emma and we are doing our best to assist her,” he said.

“In normal circumstances, if you (had) a job it usually meant you could support your family and put a roof over your head but the housing crisis has meant more and more people are being forced into desperate situations, through no fault of their own.

“It’s heartbreaking and the consequences are profound.”

Housing Minister Guy Barnett encouraged anyone at risk of homelessness to contact Housing Connect.

“We are taking unprecedented action to assist the housing needs of Tasmanians through a massive 10-year housing package, in excess of $1.5 billion, to build or buy 10,000 new homes to get more roofs over the heads of more Tasmanians,” he said.

“But we know there is more work to do and some Tasmanians are doing it tough.”

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Originally published as Single mum Emma Jeffrey despairs over living situation after 20 Hobart rental applications rejected