Cost of living takes toll

Homelessness in Rockingham is not looking to improve in the near future according to the Salvation Army Rockingham branch corps lieutenant Darrell Wilson.

In light of Homeless Persons Week, which started Monday, Mr Wilson said the rising cost of living was taking a toll on the community with up to 200 cases open for counselling and 20 clients booking in on Tuesday and Friday mornings for emergency relief.

“Up to 50 people come to our community lunch held once a week,” he said.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics data from the 2011 census showed there were 1026 people classified as homeless in the Perth-South West area.

Of the people Mr Wilson sees at the Rockingham branch he said up to 15 were homeless and sleeping rough.

“There are a group of people around Rockingham that I think are stereotypical homeless people but I wouldn’t even be able to guess how many are staying on people’s couches or living in cars,” he said.

“It is the hidden homeless people are not aware of — I think there has been an increase just because of the price of rent — I think it is going to get worse too — if people are recently homeless we are not going to know the extent of that until months down the track.”

Mr Wilson said the struggle of being homeless was having a detrimental effect on people’s mental health.

“We live in a society where many people find themselves in an unstable position in life, and it reflects in their mental health,” he said.

“The home is meant to be a safe place and, when that gets taken away, one of the pillars of your life is torn away so it makes your whole life unstable and uncertain.”

He encouraged people struggling to pay rent, mortgage or buy food to ask for help sooner rather than later.

The St Vincent de Paul Society National Council is marking Homeless Persons Week by calling on both Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to unite in making a reality out of the White Paper target to halve all homelessness by 2020.

For more information about Homeless Persons Week or activities being held visit www.communityhousing.com.au.