Services aiding the homeless in Shepparton are under increasing pressure as the homelessness crisis worsens in the region.
The demand for private rental, public and social housing is at an all-time high, due to rising costs of rent and living, increasing rates of homelessness and a surge in family violence.
More than half the 2079 applicants currently on the Victorian Housing Register — which is a combined public and housing waiting list — are deemed priority cases.
According to the most recent census, in 2021, 539 people were experiencing homelessness in Shepparton, which was a 13.2 per cent increase in five years, with poverty the number-one reason people were presenting to services.
BeyondHousing has also seen a nine per cent increase in demand for support services from women facing homelessness due to family violence.
“Poverty drives people to homelessness,” BeyondHousing chief executive Celia Adams said.
“Centrelink payments aren’t enough, and family violence is sadly still on the rise.”
From July 2023 to May 2024, the organisation had 375 people seek help, compared to 344 for all of 2022-23.
There were 176 people citing family violence as the reason for seeking either emergency housing or other support.
This, and the limited availability of new social housing units, highlights the demand for affordable housing.
Many Shepparton residents reported they had been sleeping rough in their cars or tents.
Ms Adams said in an ideal world, a tent wouldn’t be what was on offer; however, without dedicated crisis accommodation, BeyondHousing was limited in what it could provide.
“Tents and cars aren’t homes,” Ms Adams said.
“Our crisis accommodation is limited, and funding constraints make it hard to provide better options.”
What it can provide for someone who is homeless is limited by the availability of accommodation and funding, and what someone can afford to co-contribute to the accommodation themselves.
With no emergency or crisis accommodation available, the only options for homeless people are to stay with family and friends or in a motel or caravan park.
If there are no vacancies at those places, services cannot assist with emergency accommodation, which is particularly difficult to access during local events or holiday periods.
BeyondHousing has provided 712 nights and $191,307 in emergency accommodation in Shepparton since July 2023, but says for every person it can find a place to stay, there are many others it cannot.
It continues to advocate for additional funding and is committed to building more social housing.
“With government and philanthropic support, we’ll build 100 homes by 2025. But with 2000 people still waiting, we need all hands on deck,” Ms Adams said.
“Ending homelessness demands urgent, united action from all levels of government and communities; we must act now.”
While there have been big-ticket announcements at the state level, including Victoria’s Big Housing Build, and nationally to increase the supply of affordable housing, BeyondHousing believes there needs to be an ongoing pipeline of funding beyond current political terms.
Victoria has the lowest percentage of social housing in Australia, making up only three per cent of all housing, and that figure has been declining for several years.
BeyondHousing receives funding in various ways.
Government funding for specific activities that can’t be used for other things, such as building housing, is used to deliver client services, including homelessness services.
While it does receive additional funding to construct long-term housing, BeyondHousing has to contribute to that, usually via borrowings.
Other funding comes from a partnership BeyondHousing has with a philanthropic organisation, co-contributing a significant amount to build long-term housing.
Housing is just one area where the cost-of-living crisis puts strain.
Shepparton FoodShare reports that during the just-closed financial year, it saw the highest distribution in its 12 years of operation.
More than 490,000kg of food — the equivalent of around 980,000 meals — was distributed in the region.
FoodShare’s Kate Smith said even that amount of food didn’t accurately reflect the need.
“We rely on food rescues and donations, so we can only distribute the amount we receive,” she said.
“Due to food shortages, we don’t have enough food to keep up with this increased demand; therefore, have, at many times throughout the past year, had to ration the food we are able to distribute to ensure we have enough, or at least some to go around.”
This time last year, Shepparton FoodShare had eight to 10 agencies collecting food each day for the people they supported, but that number has increased to as many as 18 agencies in one day.
The organisation does not receive guaranteed funding and relies on community support to operate, both financially and via food donations.
Donations to Shepparton FoodShare can be made at sheppartonfoodshare.org.au or to BeyondHousing at beyondhousing.org.au