Pair feel trapped in homeless crisis

Two of the hundreds of Tasmanians who sleep rough each night have spoken out about their struggles and their constant wondering about when – or if – help is finally going to arrive.

Scott Wells, 49, and Ty Fellowes, 24, are homeless and live in tents near the Bridgewater Bridge. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

A PAIR of homeless Tasmanians, bounded by their dire situation, have formed a special friendship as they both try to survive a homelessness crisis which they say “has them trapped”.

Scott Wells, 49, and Ty Fellowes, 24, have spent months living in bushes on the outskirts of Bridgewater, wondering when an end to the state’s homelessness crisis will come.

Ty, who lives in a tent tucked away in a bush with his girlfriend, said he expected to be living on the streets until he’s at least 40 because he sees no end in sight to the dire situation. Each night around 1600 Tasmanians sleep rough.

The pair fear for their safety as they sleep surrounded by their few possessions. Both are on the housing waiting list but said they feel like prisoners to a system which hasn’t addressed their needs.

“I’m on a constant job hunt and talking with work service providers but I feel like I have no hope of getting employment, because why would an employer want to take on the homeless guy over the rest of the applicants,” Ty said. “It’s the same situation with rental properties.”

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But through the hardship, the men have found solace in each other’s company and helped one another deal with their personal battles.

“My mental health is rapidly dropping out here,” said Ty. “I really lean on Scott for support and feel like I wouldn’t be alive without him. He’s like a best friend and a dad.”

Ty, who turned to a life on the street after a relationship breakdown at home, said the past three months doorknocking houses to shower, and living without basic necessities, had led to his despair.

“Being out here night after night makes you do things you thought you would never consider,” he said.

“Do I put myself in prison to escape it? I feel trapped, hopeless and just awful. I break down constantly. There’s so much talk about help on its way but it seems like no one wants to put talk into action.”

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Mr Wells said each Friday he picks up toiletries and bread donations from Labor MP Brian Mitchell’s office.

Mr Mitchell said “we need more places for homeless people to live, and we need it now”.

“Government is about priorities. Tasmanians are sleeping under bridges and shivering through freezing winter nights and all we hear from the Government are hollow words and vague promises about doing better,” he said.

“The Government needs to put the resources into providing shelter right now for people who need it right now, while working on permanent medium and long-term solutions.”

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Housing Minister Roger Jaensch said the State Government would continue to focus on the supply of more social housing,

“Any Tasmanian sleeping rough is not acceptable,” he said. “That is why we recently announced an extra $5 million in funding for immediate actions to address homelessness, which includes expanding the capacity of existing crisis shelters using prefabricated dwellings and more funding to secure cabins, hotel and motel rooms for emergency accommodation.

“Assistance into homeless accommodation or brokered emergency accommodation has been boosted and is available from Housing Connect and I urge anyone experiencing homelessness to contact them so they can get emergency accommodation as soon as possible.”

Homeless man Scott Wells, 49, lives in a tent near the Bridgewater Bridge. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

‘Help, it’s killing me’

A SICK homeless man, who lives in a tent in a Hobart park, says he will soon die unless the State Government immediately fixes the state’s homeless crisis.

Scott Wells, 49, who each night pitches a tent in a Hobart park, said the situation that he and about 120 other street-sleepers face nightly had to be fixed.

“When is this going to change?” Mr Wells said. “I’ve been living in a park in a tent for over 18 months. I have mental health issues which have seen me spend the past week in hospital.

“I have been bleeding from my bowel and only have access to a public toilet 12 hours a day.

“I can’t live like this for much longer. It’s killing me.

“When is the Government going to help its homeless population? We need help fast.”

Opposition housing spokeswoman Alison Standen said Mr Wells’ situation highlighted the severity of the state’s homeless crisis.

“It just goes to show how desperate people are,” she said. “Unfortunately if there aren’t houses or shelters to offer people, homeless Tasmanians are resorting to comments on social media to try to draw attention to their desperate circumstances.”