It is just seven weeks until Bobby and Jamie welcome their second baby—but they’ve received notice that, with the addition of another child, they must leave their two-bedroom subsidised housing unit.
“They’ve been living in a Community Housing Provider (CHP) property”, explains Anglicare Case Manager, Donna. “This is meant to be temporary housing, but the private rental market is so difficult that low-income families stay for months or years. There is simply nothing else available that they can afford.”
Which is exactly what’s happened with Bobby, Jamie, and their two-year-old son—who have spent over a year searching for a private rental. “If it wasn’t for Anglicare I don’t know where we would be”, said Bobby.
After fleeing Queensland to escape an abusive situation, the couple struggled to find stable housing. With no rental history and both relying on government support, they knew they’d face difficulty in an ultra-competitive rental market.
“We knew it was going to be harder to get a house because we’re both on Centrelink, but we are doing everything we can. I had to give up my dog to improve our chances—and still, we’re not getting anywhere”, said Bobby.
Anglicare’s Housing and Homelessness team helped secure Bobby and Jamie their current CHP property, assisting with paperwork, advocacy, attending open homes and providing emergency relief as needed.
“Anglicare has helped so much”, said Bobby. “They’ve given us so much support. The minute they found out I was pregnant again, they started the new paperwork.”
The family’s current two-bedroom unit is considered overcrowded for a family of four. But with no larger CHP properties available—and affordable private rentals extremely limited—Bobby is understandably worried.
“They’ve done everything they can, but there’s just nothing out there”, said Donna. “They’ve applied for more houses than most. They are applying to properties state-wide, but still they haven’t made it to the top of any list.”
“But we won’t stop working to support them”, Donna added. “We will be there for them until they finally find secure housing.”
Sadly, Bobby and Jamie’s story is not unique. A dire lack of affordable housing has left families across our region in crisis and has overwhelmed our Housing and Homelessness services. This financial year alone, we’ve already assisted nearly double the number of people we are funded to support.
If you haven’t already, please consider supporting our Winter Appeal. Your donation can provide emergency support, shelter, and warmth to those facing homelessness this winter—and help keep our doors open to young families like Bobby and Jamie’s.
