Illawarra family living out of car amid region's housing crisis

But Mr Doyle is struggling to do that because he and his boys - 17-year-old Troy and Cori, 15 - are living out of their car with their two dogs, Noddy and companion dog Sammy, and they cannot find somewhere proper to live.

Mr Doyle, from NSW's Illawarra region, left his last rental over a dispute with the landlord and stayed with friends for a while, but had to move out.

He has tried to find a new home for his family but fears the issue with his former landlord has effectively put him on a blacklist.

He said he put in 86 applications and none of them came to fruition.

Mr Doyle said he had also struggled to get assistance with government housing.

Plus, he receives the disability support pension so he does not have the income for many properties.

So instead, for the past four to five months, he and his sons have jammed themselves and their dogs into their car each night with the hope of getting some sleep: one will take a front seat, while the other two sleep in the back.

Mr Doyle suffers chronic pain from injuries and sleeping in the car only worsens it.

"It's affecting Dad's recovery, it's affecting Cori's schooling and I've lost two apprenticeships," Troy said.

"I can't establish a good foundation," Mr Doyle added.

Adding to the stress is the recent discovery that mould has taken hold of many of their belongings, which are in storage.

Mr Doyle's story is emblematic of the housing crisis that continues to grip the Illawarra.

Data from investment research company SQM Research shows the median rental price for houses and units in the Wollongong area has risen by 18.4 per cent over 12 months, to $559.

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The median rental price for a house is $600, while a unit will typically set someone back $481 a week.

Meanwhile as at June the residential vacancy rate was 0.6 per cent, down from 1.4 per cent a year prior.

Figures provided by the Everybody's Home campaign suggest there are 1400 people who are homeless across the electorates of Cunningham, Whitlam and Gilmore.

The same organisation's figures say 59 per cent of renters in Cunningham, 38 per cent of renters in Whitlam, and over 69 per cent of renters in Gilmore are experiencing financial stress.