DEAR News Of The Area,

I AM prompted to write following homeless week.

My first experience of homelessness was as a student in North Queensland in the mid 70s.

Regularly setting up share houses due to the vagaries of rentals meant periods of couch surfing and sleeping in my car.

Thankfully these were short and infrequent.

I started volunteering at a centre providing a lunchtime meal for rough sleepers and in hostel shelters a few days per week.

I then gained work as a youth worker and supported a large cohort of homeless teenagers.

We established a local youth refuge using donations to help cover rent.

I did largely voluntary sleepover supervision.

It was demanding, challenging and rewarding working with young people needing support to move beyond crisis to some semblance of control and self-worth.

That was more than 40 years ago.

Most of my working life since has dealt with the issue.

The housing crisis now seems both worse and the same.

There have been many programs, policies and money directed at the problem.

Homelessness grows, rents rise, and house prices have become unreachable for more and more working people. The growing despair of young people who cannot see a path to stable housing either through rent or home purchase is nothing short of tragic in Australia.

The unprecedented $5.2billion investment in housing by the NSW Government recently and the commitment by the Federal Government are welcome, but there is no silver bullet to solve this crisis.

This is acknowledged by almost all commentators.

Any real relief or solution will require all levels of government to continue to view housing as a human right and to cooperate in both short- and long-term solutions.

We cannot expect any easing of this crisis unless we work at a local level to make changes as well.

As we approach local Council elections next month, we all must demand that our local councillors commit to making housing their highest priority.

Local Councils can and should lead in this space to ensure we remain safe and secure.

Local community initiatives can and do make a difference if Councils are proactive and play a leadership role.

I hope they will be up for the challenge to be part of the solution rather than be slaves to the “market”.

Young people deserve no less.

Regards,
Paul SEKFY,
Yarranbella.