Tamworth and north-west NSW: homelessness numbers on a rise, service operators say

Recent data from Everybody's Home - a national campaign to end homelessness - revealed that it was projected to increase by 5.9 per cent and housing stress to increase by 14.1 per cent in the New England North West.

But Homes North, St Vincent De Paul Society (Vinnies), and Tamworth Family Support Service (TFSS) are already experiencing an increased intake of clients needing a place to live.

Homes North chief executive officer Maree McKenzie said during the last month it had particularly worsened in Tamworth.

So much so, that the organisation's number of clients had approximately doubled compared to last year.

"We've had people who have had their tenancies terminated for no cause, and we believe landlords are putting up rent," she told the Leader.

"It's causing a lot of people to need to relocate and when they're trying to find something else, the rental market costs have increased and the availability has decreased."

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She blamed a lot of this on those moving from metropolitan areas.

"They're offering to pay more rent and up to six months in advance," Ms McKenzie said.

TFSS youth homeless support service team leader, Brett Goodchild, said there needed to be more housing for young people in particular.

The organisation's youth housing programs have hit capacity, and client numbers have increased by 30 per cent.

"There's a lack of local affordable housing with young ones starting in the rental market and there's a bit of a barrier, because they have a lack of rental references, inexperience in living independently, low income," he said.

"We've only got so many workers to help do that. All my workers have been at capacity."

Vinnies regional director Phil Donnan said it was more those who were couch-surfing that now needed a home, rather than those on the streets or sleeping rough.

"We've seen it across all regional areas and it would appear as though people seeking a tree or sea change have gone to the regional areas and that's pushing up market prices and rentals," Mr Donnan said.

"The JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments were very effective and we noticed the number of people we dealt with reduced overtime but it ramped up as each reduction [in funds] stepped in," he said.

"We started seeing more and more and ... now that payments are finished we've seen that spike."

All three said more affordable housing was needed to combat the problem.

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