The growing homelessness issue is forcing more and more people to live in caravan parks in Australia.
It comes as rental vacancy rates plunge to record lows. In Tasmania’s northwest, for example, SQM Research data shows the rental vacancy rate was 0.2% in January.
The Advocate newspapers says the data also revealed that there were only 20 vacant properties on the market for the month.
Moomba Holiday and Caravan Park owner, Kelly Direen, said most of his cabins were filled with people renting.
“We usually have 12 cabins, and at the moment we’re renting 10 of those out to people that would otherwise be homeless,” he told the Advocate. “Initially we were getting people coming to us and saying ‘we just need something for a couple of weeks until we find something elsewhere’ … we’ve had people staying with us for two years, and they just can’t find anything else.”
Mr Direen said the cabins at the caravan park at Port Sorell were not suitable for long-term accommodation.
“Cabins are all well and good for holidays,” he said. “But to live there, it’s difficult for these families.”
Halliwell Property Agents principal Alan Halliwell said some of his rental listings had over 100 applications.
The Devonport-based agent said Covid was a big factor in the low vacancy rates.
“When Covid struck a couple of years ago, a lot of property still sold but people stopped listing homes for sale,” he said. “The stock got bought up and wasn’t replaced, so we ended up with not very much to sell.”
Mr Hailliwell said the rise in housing prices then resulted in a shortage of rentals.
As property and rental prices soar around the country, the chronic housing shortage has also seen many desperate people stay long-term in free camping areas or just find a spot in the bush.
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That’s if the homeless can even afford a caravan park, or not be evicted due to problems caused by mental illness. We’ve noticed an increase in the number of permanents in free camps close to towns as well.