The hardship of working while homeless

The past few years have been tough for so many people. 

From natural disasters and a global pandemic to cost of living pressures and overseas conflicts. So many people have struggled to get by with respite appearing out of reach. For as difficult as things are right now, the reality facing a growing number of people is a cause for great concern. 

As housing across the country becomes less secure, it’s people like Luke who are becoming the new face of disadvantage and homelessness in Australia.

Luke works hard five days a week at a bakery and supports his elderly father, Colin, who suffers from a variety of health issues, including acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that causes difficulty breathing and walking. 

“I’ve got to do just about 95% of all the basic things that someone would need to do or get done with [my father] being on disability,” explains Luke.

“It’s a matter of I’ve got to do it or nothing’s going to happen.”

Luke’s outlook on life is pragmatic however his living situation is anything but.

“I’ve been on the streets for two years without finding any place while I’m holding down a full-time job. It’s not easy. It’s very hard.”

Luke is among a growing number of people who are employed yet find themselves unable to secure a place to live and spend their nights – in the best of cases – in cars, tents or relying on the goodwill of others.

Luke found himself facing homelessness when the owner of the home he lived in opted to sell, leaving him and his father having to stay with a family member in a shed.

What was meant to be a temporary stay while he looked for a new home became a dispiriting cycle of rejection made worse by a living situation that became untenable.

“I found that I struggled [with the private rental market]…I would be on Facebook and Gumtree messaging ad after ad but they don’t meet our requirements or we’re not eligible for it. Some of the landlords were strict on having no pets, so this is where we possibly could have gotten a place, but I just didn’t want to give up my dog at that time.”

Moving into a boarding house and subsequently sleeping in a vacant building, the pair were abruptly moved on by an owner, who threatened to call the police, before finally having no other choice but to brave the elements in a tent.

The circumstances faced by Luke are tough and sadly increasingly familiar to the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW. In the past two years, the number of people seeking assistance from the Society who are experiencing homelessness or in temporary accommodation in NSW has risen from 19% to 30%. 

Similarly, the median weekly cost of rent in NSW has increased by 38% over the past five years, while the number of people waiting for social housing across the state stands at more than 120,000. 

While Luke and his father continue their search for permanent and secure housing, there has been a change for the better thanks to support provided by the Society.

Our members have helped by providing food, assistance to get Colin admitted to hospital for treatment and paying for Luke to stay in a motel.

Currently staying in crisis accommodation delivered by the Society, Luke has seen immediate improvements from having more stable housing. 

“Getting all the food and eating healthy – I was losing a lot of weight and now I’m starting to bulk up a bit, eating healthy, which I’m happy about.” 

Colin is also doing well with the support of the Society who are working to secure priority housing due to his health status. 

The Society is continuing to support Luke, including paying for a service to look after his dog, as he continues to look for a secure place to call home.