For much of this year, our reporters have been speaking to those working at the coalface of Shoalhaven's homelessness crisis.
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In each and every interview we gathered for our Home Truths campaign, two alarming truths emerged.
One was the steep rise in the number of people from all walks of life finding themselves without a roof over their head. Right here in our community.
The second was the urgent need for funding to continue to meet this demand, which until now has relied on community donations and volunteer efforts.
Time and again we spoke to Salt Care, which runs Safe Shelter Shoalhaven. Salt has led the charge in tackling the problem, but now, the organisation itself has become a victim of lack of funding.
The shelter run by Salt, which helps get homeless people off the streets, closed its doors on the morning of October 17. The Safe Shelter service has received no financial support from any level of government.
Salt's Chief Executive Officer, Peter Dover, said the shelter service cost $5000 a week to run and that was with the support of volunteers.
He said funds for the service had for the past five years been provided by the generosity of the community.
"The community has been doing the job of government," he said. "But times are tough and the community support has dried up."
It is blatantly clear that government bodies at all levels must be an active part of dealing with homeless and housing affordability. Resolving that situation will take time.
It is equally important that the organisations that provide food and shelter to support the homeless be financially equipped to continue these services. That is something that can be addressed immediately.
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Salt is a not-for-profit, largely volunteer run service that has been feeding, finding shelter and providing counselling support for homeless individuals and families for five years. In that time it has housed 850 people and provided 16,000 beds.
Families escaping a domestic violence environment, those who have lost their jobs or struggle mental health issues, veterans battling to survive after service to their country, and families and individuals displaced because of bushfire or flood. These are some of the stories of people who have been supported by Salt.
It is hard to fathom that at the height of a homeless and housing affordability crisis impacting, not only the Shoalhaven but the entire country, a valuable component of Salt - the provision of shelter - has had to stop.
The cold hard fact is that while political leaders debate who should be responsible for what in addressing the homeless problem, individuals and families are living on the street or in their car. They worry about where their next meal will come from and if they will ever get out of their devastating situation.
Safe Shelter Shoalhaven helped to answer some of those questions - it gave these people hope - but that is available to them no more.
Mr Dover and his team know how to help the homeless - they've been doing it for years. What they need right now is funding to reopen the shelter.
Without a doubt the wheels of progress are turning, but very slowly. Too slow for someone who is homeless. Every night is too long for anyone who is sleeping rough.
Australian Community Media's South Coast group of papers - South Coast Register, Milton-Ulladulla Times, Bay Post and Narooma News - launched the Home Truths campaign in March of this year to shine a spotlight on the situation.
The campaign has so far covered case studies of people living rough, how community groups and volunteers such as Salt have dedicated endless hours to support the homeless, identified what services are available and tackled government bodies and politicians to find out what can be done.
Shoalhaven City Council's announcement on October 14 that land at Callala Bay would be opened up to allow for the development of 380 new homes could help with the housing availability crisis moving forward. But will those houses be affordable and how long will it take to come to fruition?
First and foremost who will step up to support Salt so that it can reopen its shelter service? That support is needed right now.
What support can government bodies offer? How can the broader community help? These are the urgent questions to be answered.
Jackie Meyers
Twice weekly
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