Colleen has been sleeping in her car for nine months
02/07/2018
The link between a person having a major health problem such as cancer and becoming homeless is increasing, according to homeless support groups.
Among this group are people who have good jobs, but when diagnosed with a long-term illness and using all their sick leave, lose their job and find themselves unable to pay the rent or the mortgage.
The Everybody’s Home Campaign is a coordinated call for increased public housing for people in need, representing more than 20 Australian organisations.
Spokesperson Kate Colvin said people with chronic illness were overrepresented in people who were homeless.
“Perhaps 20, 30 years ago homelessness was most common for people who had another difficulty in their life,” Ms Colvin said.