'New' homeless crisis in Orange NSW amid cost of living crunch

Rental costs have increased at double the rate of wages in town during the last 12 months. Tight supply means people who can afford rent often still fail to secure a home.

"We're seeing a new type of client: One that's employed," Penny Dordoy of Housing Plus told the CWD.

"We've got people sleeping in cars with their pets ... they're now looking to us to help them pay bills and find accommodation.

"It's absolutely more prevalent ... we see more and more people who've got jobs, and who're just normal families and under normal situations would get by quite easily."

The median weekly rent for houses in Orange is now about $520 according to CoreLogic, up 6.6 per cent since this time last year. The median unit price is $400, up about 2.6 per cent.

Crippling supply shortages mean competition for rentals is fierce, and often residents with means to pay rent are still unable to secure housing.

In a twisted irony, Dordoy said the problem has become so pronounced Housing Plus employees from out of town are being forced to reconsider employment due to lack of accommodation.

About 208 people were homeless in Orange at the last census, in 2021. While no data has been published since, all support workers contacted by the CWD believe this number has increased significantly in the 18 months since.

"There's an increase of 90-day no fault termination so landlords who want to make the most of a property are able to get rid of good tenants ... so they can naturally get a better deal for themselves," Dordoy said.

"But that means we're seeing - particularly elderly people, and particularly women over 60 - losing the long term rentals they've had for years."

The organisation believes the solutions to structural problems in the housing market lies with government.

"We need more social housing. It's pretty simple. There've been a lot of ideas thrown around but it's simply a matter of giving the providers the ability to do the work," she said.

"There are budget solutions being handed down and we hope will have a focus [on homelessness]. But I don't think on the ground there's too many people being optimistic."

Access to affordable housing consistently ranks among the most pressing concerns of Orange residents. Waitlists for social housing can exceed 10 years.

In March Orange City Council announced plans to build a new suburb comprising affordable housing alongside government housing corporation Landcom.

About 20 hectares of land adjacent to the town's eastern entrance has been earmarked for transformation with hundreds of free standing houses and apartments.

"This is the start of a ... fantastic project that will help many, many families," Mayor Jason Hamling said at the time.

Plans are in the preliminary stages and subject to change, but could comprise construction of up to 230 residences. Between 46 and 69 would be affordable rentals under this model.

The possibility of constructing social housing at a block on Woodward Street is also being investigated by staff, following a request from councillor David Mallard.

"Because we're in a housing crisis, every level of government needs to be doing what it can," Mallard told the CWD in November last year.

"I would not be comfortable with council just selling-off assets into the private market that will then be unaffordable for most people.

"That won't help to address the challenges [Orange residents] on low- and middle- incomes are facing in finding housing they can live in."

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