Modbury tent sleepers, Matt and Craig Bleach offered public housing, but troubles not yet over
Three men found themselves homeless for the first time in their 40’s and after two and a half years sleeping rough they were offered housing, only to discover their trouble wasn’t over.
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After finding themselves homeless for the first time, three men aged in their 40s were finally offered housing after Two-and-a-half years of sleeping rough – but with a catch.
The men, who are part of Tree Gully Council’s homeless tent population, had been forced to access government help to pay fees to camp at Bolivar Caravan Park after being removed from public land.
But following The Advertiser’s coverage of fellow homeless tent sleeper Rachel Gallacher’s plight since she was also moved on from public land by the council, The Advertiser asked the government what the plans were for the other Modbury campers.
Late on Christmas Eve, their de facto advocate, community volunteer Sonia Blackwell, received a call from a director at the Department of Human Services to say the men would be offered housing early in the new year.
One man, Craig, is not sure where his new house will be.
While the other two, identical twins Scott and Matt Bleach will share a transition house in the western suburbs.
However, they don’t know exactly when these new homes will be made available and they were only funded to stay at the park until 10am on Boxing Day.
The men had endured another hot night in a tent at the Bolivar Caravan Park.
The men now had to pack up their belongings and leave the caravan park.
No agencies were open and all other caravan parks were full.
Even if they had somewhere to go - they had no way of getting there.
Craig, 45, had never been homeless until July 2022, but said he grew up “spoiled” with a father who owned multiple properties.
After some unexpected life events, age 43, he was not just homeless - he was sleeping under the stars.
Asked what shocked him about living on the streets he said: “To be honest, it’s how many homeless there are.
“One person here, another person there, behind, at laundromats, around McDonalds an Uber driver who lived in his car.
“Sometimes you’ll go behind a shop and find six people sleeping there”, Craig told The Advertiser.
Like Craig, twins Scott and Matt had not experienced homelessness before 2022 before job losses and relationship breakdowns took their toll.
As we spoke, Ms Blackwell received a call from a friend. The friend had called Bolivar Caravan Park and provided she paid for their next three nights upfront - which she did - they agreed she could stay until Sunday morning.
The twins and Craig hugged Ms Blackwell for her help.
Scott said: “I believe I have the place when I see it - somewhere nice where I can shower, use a kitchen, watch TV - I haven’t watched TV in two years.”
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