Some bold initiatives to address homelessness – including a car park for people to safely sleep in their vehicles – have been showcased at a key forum.
Speakers from around the country shared their ideas at the Hope for Homes event at Goodlife Community Centre.
The centre’s Ruth Jeffs said more people were struggling to get by on the Sunshine Coast.
“Reports from local services indicate an increase in those in our community experiencing homelessness,” she said.
“The shortage of affordable rental accommodation on the Coast means that often employed parents are sleeping in cars.
Do you have a comment to make about the housing crisis? Submit a Letter to the Editor with your name and suburb via: news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au
“Single men and women, often in their 50s, 60s, 70s and even 80s are sleeping rough, while teens who are experiencing difficulties in their families are couch surfing.
“Our local community is expressing concern for the visible increase of those experiencing homelessness in their local areas.”
The forum was brought together by the Salvation Army, The Shack, Goodlife Community Church and Sunshine Coast Council.
More than 25 churches and faith communities attended the gathering, where guest speakers presented practical solutions.
“The ideas that were heard can be shared widely, the dreams given substance,” Ms Jeffs said.
Among those to present ideas was Danielle Whyte, from the Our Backyard/Car to Home project.
It helps provide a designated car park space (on church grounds), that allows people who sleep in their cars with a place to park, along with 24/7 access to bathroom, kitchen and laundry facilities.
Ms Whyte said it’s been implemented with success in the Port Macquarie area for past eight years.
“Women in particular see it as a godsend when they come in, because they’re able to have a hot shower, and feel safe doing so, and have clean toilets. They are also able to wash their clothes and prepare and cook meals,” she said.
Ms Whyte said there was a new wave of battlers.
“There are people who have never been homeless before. They are working full-time but can’t afford rent,” she said.
The project also provides a social network and it helps the homeless get out of their cars and into accommodation.
“A lot of people who come into our service feel like they’re invisible and lost in the system,” Ms Whyte said.
“They’re in limbo, so we try to support them and get them out of their car for good. We try everything we can to try and get them a housing solution.”
Ms Whyte said a similar initiative could be adopted on the Sunshine Coast and beyond.
“It could be considered anywhere,” she said. “They’d have to contact council and their church and look at insurances, but there’s nothing stopping them from doing that.”
Ms Whyte said the forum was an important step to help address homelessness.
“We’ve got a long way to go but it was good to have conversations about it,” she said.
“I believe faith-based organisations can play a big part in relieving the stress, because local, state and federal governments are not going to be able to provide all the funding to resolve this.”
Ms Jeffs could not confirm if Goodlife was exploring the possibility of creating a designated parking space for people to safely sleep in their cars, but she said the centre was dedicated to supporting the vulnerable.
Meantime, a Sunshine Coast housing analyst who is pushing for united community action to solve the problem, is urging community members to “spend 15 seconds” to sign up to help raise public awareness of the housing crisis.
Mal Cayley, of Direct Collective, has launched the Homes for Everyone website to help inform and motivate the community about the issue.
To sign up to the Homes for Everyone supporters list, click here.
“We need strength in numbers to show the politicians and decision-makers that we want to end homelessness and the rental crisis. It affects all of us,” Mr Cayley said.
“We’ll keep you updated with our progress, but we certainly won’t be marketing to you.”
Mr Cayley has previously revealed that, by his calculations, the coast is at least 8,000 houses short, with 5,500 of those needed for our desperate rental sector.
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