EDITORIAL
The Central Coast is grappling with a homelessness situation that frontline workers describe as “heartbreaking, dangerous, and out of control,” exacerbated by bureaucratic barriers and a lack of coordinated government response.
This week’s article from Skaie Hull brings the dire situation into clear focus.
At Toukley Neighbourhood Centre, the number of people seeking help has quadrupled this year, with families, the elderly, and people with disabilities among those affected.
Informal settlements have emerged in areas like Picnic Point, Summerland Point, and The Entrance, forming “little cities of homelessness” where individuals cluster near water, services and support centres.
These growing camps have divided the community, with some advocating for assistance and others calling for their removal, despite the lack of alternative accommodations.
The crisis affects all demographics, including young families sleeping in parks, a 75-year-old woman with alcohol issues living in a tent, and individuals who have lost businesses and homes.
Some parents have even temporarily given up their children to ensure they have shelter, highlighting the profound impact on family structures.
Services that provide emergency shelter, such as refuges and transitional housing, are now overwhelmed.
Health on the Streets (HoTS) reports that 87% of people experiencing homelessness struggle with mental health issues, substance dependency, or both, and 21.4% are children and youth aged under 19.
The Central Coast faces a deepening housing problem, with rising rental and mortgage stress and a growing social housing shortfall.
In our federal electorates of Robertson and Dobell, people wait over a decade for social housing, with rents unaffordable and mortgage stress high.
In response, Coast Community News has released a comprehensive report on homelessness on the Central Coast, drawing from extensive articles and investigations over the years.
This report aims to shed light on the systemic issues contributing to the crisis and to advocate for the successful actions of local organisations, as well as challenge local state and federal governments to provide more coordinated responses.
See our website for details under coastcommunitynews.com.au/research
The situation demands coordinated and compassionate intervention, not just for those affected but for the wellbeing of the entire region.
David Abrahams – Managing Editor
And to think the Central Coast is one of the few areas that’s actually meeting the housing construction targets…
My condolences to everyone affected by this. Fingers crossed that some of the upcoming development projects help – I know Tuggerah Gateway is supposed to provide 2177 total dwellings, and about 108 are expected to be “affordable”