Wellways has been stocking up on food and blankets.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Sometimes that's the only thing they can do for people literally forced out in the cold, says Amanda Greenhow, the Housing Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) co-ordinator for Albury and Murrumbidgee areas.
"At times we have to support people to sleep rough - we ensure they have a tent or enough warm blankets - because we don't have options," Ms Greenhow says.
There is "monumental pressure" on housing and a lack of affordable accommodation options, deeply frustrating staff trying to help vulnerable people.
Referrals are coming in "thick and fast", she adds.
And in the past week alone, 6 people have walked in off the street to the Albury office seeking help with housing.
"We contacted caravan parks and hotels but there weren't a lot of options," Ms Greenhow says.
On average one person a week might walk through the doors of the not-for-profit mental health and disability support agency in Olive Street.
But the desperation is building.
In the past few weeks Wellways has re-started a community connections program targeting rough sleepers.
"We put on a BBQ at St David's and meet with homeless people to break down barriers (to accessing support)," Ms Greenhow says.
"This morning we saw four people sleeping rough at the train station; usually there might be one or two.
"Our programs provide access to priority public housing and might typically take two to three months; we are now looking at six months."
The burden of care, particularly for those with mental ill health, often falls back to families.
"There is a lot of pressure to support family members with significant mental health challenges, it's a lot to be able to share your home with a person especially if their mental health is declining," she says.
"It can be very difficult to access housing.
... We don't want someone sleeping rough or without options.
- Amanda Greenhow
"Our job is to be made redundant, to support people to maintain housing."
More low density housing options, support for carers and their families and support for people to access private rentals is what's needed, Ms Greenhow says.
She says organisations in Albury are working together because "we don't people to fall through the cracks if we can help it".
"At the end of the day we don't want someone sleeping rough or without options."
- The Border Mail is examining the extent of the housing crisis with a series of special reports over the coming week: 'Without a place: new homelessness crisis'.
