Kempsey's housing crisis: up to $400 a week just for a caravan

It's a story Craig Dates and his partner Lauren Blogg know only too well.

The couple, who welcomed the birth of their son in June, have been staying in a caravan park for more than three months while they apply for rental accommodation.

Before that, they spent four months in a hotel.

"It's a roof over our head, but it's $250 a week," Mr Dates said. "We could nearly have a house for that."

West Kempsey recently ranked number six in the list of local government areas in New South Wales most in need of rental properties. Nambucca was ranked number three and Wauchope was number seven.

Kempsey Neighbourhood Centre manager Shirley Kent described the rental crisis as a "devastating situation".

"We've got people coming for emergency help who are living either in a car, itinerant or [in] substandard accommodation, and that [has] been continually since COVID-19," she said.

"We have people for example living in caravan parks with children, paying $300 to $400 a week."

Ms Kent said that the problem lies in the lack of social housing.

"For people who have a good rental record and possibly an income, it's difficult. [But] for anyone on a low income, or no income, or [who has] had time off because of domestic violence or something similar, then in becomes completely impossible. There's absolutely nothing there."

Mr Dates has been unable to work due to ongoing health conditions.

He and Ms Blogg have filled-in more than 50 housing applications from Nambucca Heads to Taree, but have been unsuccessful in finding a home.

When the couple turned to the Department of Housing for help, they were told they could be placed as a priority case which would involve a minimum two year wait.

"You could be waiting 25 years for a place," Mr Dates said. "What the hell is that going to do for us?"

The family was allocated a property in March through New Horizons and the Department of Housing, but the conditions were far from ideal.

"The first thing I saw were the wrappers for needles," Ms Blogg said.

"I went up the stairs and had a look inside. The walls were covered in graffiti and there were needles inside the place."

Despite New Horizons refusing the property on their behalf, the couple has been refused further assistance from the Department of Housing.

Needles and needle wrappers can still be seen outside the now boarded-up property.

"They try to feed you the bottom of the barrel," Mr Dates said.

"They're saying there's a roof over our head but we've got a baby. We don't need drugs, we don't need crack pipes or dirty needles around for him to be near. We don't need that."

Ms Kent said there needs to be more social housing and assistance available to the public, especially if the rental crisis continues.

"We're going to see more and more people with worsening mental health issues, with longer term unemployment, less access to education, which is one of the ways out of this particular trap.

"The longer it goes on for people, the harder it is for them to settle back down again."

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