A surge in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Geraldton has been recorded, with the level of rough sleeping reaching its highest level in the city in almost a year.
The data comes from the By-Name-List, which tracks rough sleeping in five areas across the State and has recorded an increase in Geraldton, reaching a 10-month peak.
The list is compiled by Advance to Zero, revealing the total number of rough sleepers in Perth, Geraldton, Bunbury, Mandurah and Rockingham had passed the 1000 mark for the first time since data was first recorded in 2020.
There is a total of 1029 people sleeping on the streets in these areas, exceeding last month’s record of 947 and up from 655 two years ago.
Live data from the WA Alliance to End Homelessness (WAAEH) revealed 32 rough sleepers in Geraldton during the month of March, a 13 person increase on February data, which recorded 19 rough sleepers in the city.
Of the 32 people sleeping rough in Geraldton, 43.7 per cent are Indigenous Australians, and 53.1 per cent are female.
In Geraldton, 43.7 per cent of people experiencing homelessness are within the age bracket of 26-54, while 13.64 per cent are over 55 and 9.38 per cent are 16-25.
On top of the 32 rough sleepers in the city, there are a further 48 individuals residing in temporary shelter, bringing the total to 80 people experiencing homelessness.
The lowest figure recorded in Geraldton was in February 2022, when 15 people slept rough in Geraldton. The problem came to a head in April 2023 when 38 people were recorded sleeping rough.
Mission Australia area manager Milton Molloy said the recent surge in rough sleeping could be attributed to the lack of housing available.
”It has been steadily increasing for the last six months, but since the new year there has been an increase in the number of people sleeping rough,” he said.
Mr Molloy looked to the housing crisis, industry growth, and subsequent regional migration forcing long-term rentals off the market.
“You can’t put people in something that is not there,” he said.
In March 2023, four people were placed into permanent housing, while in March 2024 two people were put into permanent housing.
A total of 64 people were placed into permanent housing during 2023.
A bi-monthly report from Advance to Zero revealed the average number of days an individual will spend on the By-Name-List before they were placed into a private rental is 119, whereas other housing types can take 219 days.
Regional Alliance West operations manager, Chris Gabelish pointed to the silver lining and evidence of strong progress being made — the city had nearly eradicated rough sleeping for over 55s.
David Pearson, executive officer of the WA Alliance to End Homelessness, said it was a shocking and heartbreaking state of affairs for a wealthy State like WA.
“But we know we can solve this. We’re seeing great results in communities like Geraldton and Mandurah, where a dedicated outreach, housing and collaboration has reduced the rough sleeping numbers in recent months,” he said.
Mr Molloy said the organisations working to fight homelessness were closely intertwined, and when housing became available they were quick to place individuals into those homes.
Solutions to the problem are rooted in housing availability and affordability.
ShelterWA wants the State Government to focus its Budget and GST windfall on fixing the homelessness crisis.
Its budget submission suggests three options for an affordable housing scheme, including a $476 million to $1.9 billion package over 10 years to add 20,000 homes to the market.
The charity is also suggesting a $25m annual payment or a $1.7b package for similar schemes. This cost would also maintain the dwellings currently in the Federal Government National Rental Affordability Scheme.
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