Australia’s Housing Crisis Pushes More People Into Vehicle Living
Across Australia’s east coast, a growing number of people are being forced to live in their vehicles as the affordable housing crisis deepens, according to frontline volunteers and support services.
In the Illawarra region, services report they are at capacity, with rising demand and more older Australians being turned away from housing and emergency resources.
Homeless services in Wollongong are now assisting up to 40 people per month who are sleeping rough. Outreach teams report a marked increase in the number of people sleeping in cars, particularly around lakes, beach car parks, sand dunes, and stairwells.
Short-term crisis accommodation is failing to provide lasting solutions. Many individuals are returning to the streets within days of receiving temporary shelter.
Voices from the Crisis
"Repeated rent increases forced me into van living."
Bec, a former tenant who now lives in a van in Wollongong, said the steady rise in rent left her with no other option.
Rob, who has lived in his vehicle for nine years, offered a nuanced view. He noted that while some van residents choose this lifestyle, many do not by choice.
In one case reported by Mandy Booker from the Wollongong Homeless Hub, a 71-year-old man was denied further temporary accommodation and returned to sleeping in his car.
Calls for Action
Advocates are urging stronger, long-term investment in housing and greater compassion for those affected.
Some are proposing the formalization of designated van living areas as a low-cost housing alternative, arguing that such measures could provide a safer, more stable option for those with no other place to go.