Pregnant mum, two kids living in car as full extent of rental crisis revealed

It’s a distressing situation for anyone to find themselves in, let alone if you are pregnant. But the rental crisis does not discriminate.

It’s a distressing situation for anyone to find themselves in, let alone if you are pregnant.

But a pregnant mother, her husband their two kids - aged one and five - have been forced to live in a car for eight months in Rockingham, south-west Perth, in the middle of winter.

“It’s been extremely cold,” she told 9News.

“There were times where our car battery actually would die because we’d have to use it to heat trying to keep all of us from getting sick.”

Cassandra and her young son. Picture: 9News

Renters, like Cassandra, are bearing the brunt of skyrocketing housing costs as Aussies homeowners face successive interest rate hikes. Rates are at their highest level since 2011.

The family of four became homeless in December last year after facing a rent increase she could not afford.

The timing could not have been worse as Cassandra had just learnt she was pregnant.

“We weren’t able to afford food that we really needed to keep ourselves healthy and strong, so that made it very difficult for us,” she said.

“There were times when me and my partner would miss out to make sure our kids had what they needed.”

Cassandra says it has been extremely hard to be homeless in winter. Picture: 9News

The family is currently being helped by the Salvation army and have finally secured a new home.

The Salvation Army have seen a whopping 250 per cent rise in homelessness in Rockingham alone, while emergency relief has increased by 300 per cent since November.

“It’s obviously heartbreaking to see,” Salvation Army officer Chelsea Wilson said.

“Currently we are at capacity for what we can provide and we really do need to be resourced further.”

Originally published as Pregnant mum, two kids living in car as full extent of rental crisis revealed