As Homelessness Week prompts national reflection, the reality here in the Clarence Valley becomes harder to ignore. More than 430 people across the region are without a safe and stable place to live. Behind that number are individuals and families sleeping in cars, tents, emergency shelters, or in overcrowded and unsafe homes. Many are doing their best to survive in conditions that would be unacceptable in any other context.
For many, the search for a secure home is becoming a long and painful journey. The latest data shows over 600 households in the Clarence Valley are waiting for social housing. In Grafton, there are 67 priority households and 396 listed under general need. In the Lower Clarence, 25 are on the priority list and 117 on the general waitlist. People needing a one-bedroom home are facing wait times of more than ten years. For two- and three-bedroom homes, the wait is between five and ten years. These are not just numbers. These are years of living without stability or safety.
The Clarence Valley Local Housing Strategy acknowledges the shortfall but fails to commit to action. It offers no firm targets for how many public or affordable homes should be built, and while it outlines the capacity for more than 9,000 new dwellings under current planning controls, there is no requirement that these homes be accessible to those who need them most. In 2021, more than 2,000 households in our region were already struggling to find affordable rentals. Current forecasts show the demand for social housing is growing by more than eight percent each year.
At the same time, many private rentals are not fit for purpose. Reports of mould, leaks, inadequate heating, poor insulation, and unsafe living conditions are common, and yet New South Wales still has no minimum legal standards for rental homes. Renters often remain silent, afraid of eviction or blacklisting, knowing that even poor-quality housing is hard to come by. This is leading to ongoing health issues, both physical and mental, especially in children over winter as families are unable to keep houses warm. Some people are paying up to $600 a week for homes that are falling apart.
Adding to the crisis is the growing resistance to new developments from some parts of the community. "Not in my backyard" campaigns continue to surface each time a development is proposed, even when those proposals are located in suitable, low-flood-risk areas with good access to transport, services, and town infrastructure. This type of opposition is often driven by fear or misinformation, but the result is the same. It slows down or halts housing that is desperately needed, pushing more people into insecurity and homelessness. Every delayed project means years added to waitlists and more families forced into survival mode.
While some may suggest that people simply move elsewhere, this view ignores the deep costs and consequences of relocation. Moving to another region often means losing connection to family, schools, support services, health care providers, and cultural or community ties. For many, the financial burden of relocating is simply unaffordable. For others, the isolation that follows only deepens the challenges they already face.
The impact of inaction is felt across the community. Essential workers such as nurses, aged care staff, teachers, childcare workers, and emergency responders are finding it harder to live locally. Businesses are struggling to recruit and retain staff, not because there is a lack of interest, but because people cannot afford to live near where they work. Our region cannot function without its workforce, and we cannot expect people to stay if we do not give them a place to call home.
Homelessness is not just a metropolitan issue. It is here, and it is getting worse. It affects children, older residents, people with disability, carers, workers, and entire families. It is not always visible, but it is real.
Homelessness Week should be a reminder that awareness alone is not enough. What our community needs now is leadership, collaboration, and courage to stand up for the right to housing. That includes pushing past fear-driven resistance to development, demanding stronger protections for renters, setting real targets for affordable and public housing, and building with the future in mind.
This is not a problem that can be solved by one level of government. Local, state, and federal governments all have a role to play. Solutions must be coordinated, and resources must be shared. All levels of government need to come together, working side by side to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness and to prevent more people from reaching that point. In a community as tight-knit and resilient as the Clarence Valley, this is achievable if we choose to act.
The Clarence Valley deserves a housing system that works for everyone, not just those who can afford to stay quiet behind locked doors. The time to act is now.
To learn more about how you can help or get involved, visit the Homelessness Australia website at www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au
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