TRANSCRIPT
It’s 6pm at an intersection in Perth’s inner north-east and Brendon Wilhelmi [[will-hell-me]] is hoping to earn a few dollars.
“Hello, how are you, yeah I am not bad, thanks. Thank you so much, I really appreciate your help and your support.”
Less than six months ago, it was a different picture for the 34-year-old father of two.
“I'd be up in the morning, off to work. My partner would be getting the kids ready for school, obviously she'd stay at home to get the kids ready for school.”
In November, the family was evicted from their rental property when the owners decided to sell.
Mr Wilhelmi's situation was made worse when his wife became unwell.
He had to give up his job to care for her.
He says he's tried everything to provide a home for his family.
“There were 10 to 12 houses we applied for and we were declined on every house. Either didn't hear back from them or got knocked back. But at each of them viewings, we had 30 to 40 people going for the same house, offering more.”
As Mr Wilhelmi awaits income support, the family is currently couch-surfing, relying on the charity of others.
“And it's really hard, otherwise, what other choices have I got? I've never done crime, I don't break the law. So it either puts me in a position where I have to go steal literally to feed my family, or to hold up a sign and ask if anyone's got some spare change for food.”
In Perth, rental vacancy rates dropped to a record 0.3 per cent in February with fewer than 2,000 properties available.
It's a similar story for renters nationwide, with vacancy rates declining across all capital cities.
Mr Wilhelmi is just one of almost a quarter-of-a-million Australians on waiting lists for social housing.
The Federal Government has pledged 30,000 new social and affordable home over five years as part of its $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund.
And $2 billion to accelerate the building of 4,000 new social homes. ((Social Housing Accelerator))
But advocates say this isn't nearly enough.
Anglicare Executive Director Kasy Chambers says her organisation's recent Rental Affordability report shows at least 25,000 new homes are needed every year, for the next two decades.
“I still think there is time for us to be calling for some more money into housing, we need direct funding. The housing fund is great, it's going to get 20,000 properties out there, we need way more than that.”
In response, the Federal Minister for Housing Julie Collins says she's "committed to working alongside all levels of government and the community sector, to ensure more Australians have the support they need".
But for Mr Wilhelmi and others like him it's too little, too late.
“I've just been put on a government housing list and I am on priority and they say it could be up to a 2-year wait.”
