The people on the coalface supporting Bega Valley Shire's homeless say the situation is now catastrophic.
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People are living in cars, caravan parks and churches, under tarpaulins and on verandas.
Couch-surfing with friends and family is rife, making it impossible to quantify the number of homeless people in the shire.
Caroline Long, regional manager of South East Women and Children's Services (SEWACS), said unlike Eurobodalla where groups of homeless people were camping on public land, the homeless in Bega "go to ground".
"They are not visible in this area - they go where they can't be seen," she said.
Donna Davis, program manager for Mission Australia's Bega Valley Homelessness Support Service said all the services were "exhausted and inundated with referrals".
She said domestic violence and homelessness had increased significantly, especially this year, as financial pressures bite.
"It is catastrophic," Ms Davis said.
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According to the support services, contributing factors to the shortage of housing included bushfires depleting the stock of homes, while COVID-19 increased demand for housing outside of cities.
Ms Davis said the supply/demand imbalance had caused rents to spiral to levels that were unaffordable "for people on low- to medium-support, and even people working".
"For seasonal workers and young people, the prices are out of reach.
"We are very short of anything that is affordable, especially for younger people."
Mick Brosnan, who founded Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast 11 years ago, said the main cause was landlords moving their properties to AirBnB.
He said not only was this happening more regularly, but the notice periods landlords were issuing their tenants were also shorter.
Additionally, the Indigenous, the disabled and anyone without work are discriminated against, Mr Brosnan said.
All three people agreed the situation will get worse before it gets better.
Ms Davis was concerned about the impact of the Wanderer Festival on people living in holiday accommodation, and also what could happen when temporary accommodation in caravan parks and holiday homes disappeared with the arrival of the summer peak tourist season.
Ms Long said the services were doing the best they could.
"We are doing the best we can under the circumstances, but it isn't enough and I would be the first to acknowledge it," she said.
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