A new mobile outreach program is headed straight to the Western Plains in the hopes of curbing a growing rural homelessness crisis, but the numbers suggest the assistance could be a drop in the ocean towards the issue.

Serving as a mobile office travelling through regional areas to assist people with applying for housing and other support services, the outreach program is said to assist 3,500 people in regional and rural NSW who are sleeping rough.

Minister for Families and Communities Natasha Maclaren-Jones said the program would ensure regional communities are supported into stable accommodation. 



“This funding will ensure there are dedicated staff on the ground ready to help people living in regional communities to apply for housing,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said. 

The mobile outreach program will target towns where there is not currently a Department of Communities and Justice office, including Warren, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Bourke, Brewarrina, Trangie, Cobar, Nyngan, Narromine, Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo. 

In the local towns that the mobile outreach is headed towards,, wait times for social housing generally start at two years, with some places having a waitlist of up to five or 10 years. 

In Brewarrina, for example, the expected waiting time for a 2-bedroom property is 5 to 10 years according to Family and Community Services. .

Homelessness NSW CEO Trina Jones says that the service is a welcome short-term approach for the region, and should assist in training and upskilling those in local communities who can continue the services. 

“We do now though, with 12 routes, the program would probably just be conducted twice in each area across the 12 months…it’s probably not going far enough for the support that people need in those areas,” Ms Jones said. 

While an increase in social and affordable housing would answer the calls of interest groups, in the short term there are other changes that advocates would like to see. 

“In terms of a quick win thing the government could do would be to get rid of ‘no grounds eviction’ to make sure that those people who are in rentals can maintain those rentals for as long as possible,” Ms Jones said. 

Currently in NSW, a landlord can evict a tenant without grounds with just 30 days notice at the end of their fixed-term lease, or with just 90 days’ notice during an on-going lease. 

In an environment of housing shortages across the board, Ms Jones said that landlords evicting tenants for the sake of creating short-term stays or having a second home is becoming another contributor to homelessness. 

“So we’re seeing increasing numbers of rentals becoming unavailable, particularly in regional areas. And we’re seeing increasing unoccupied dwellings in regional areas,” Ms Jones said. 

The outreach program is expected to reach 35-50 people in each town, which regardless of accommodation availability, should serve the community, given those people seen sleeping rough represent only 12 per cent of people experiencing homelessness across the state, according to Homelessness NSW. 

The mobile outreach service will bring information on services such as Rent Choice and Bone Loans, as well as access to housing supports.