Tent town turmoil as homelessness “explodes”

Homelessness levels are “exploding” in Logan as struggling locals flock to community auto parks to established up camp.

Neighborhood residents have explained the current tent town at the Eagleby Wetlands as “out of control”.

“It’s really exploded out below,” a person community claimed.

“I’ve lived here 30 yrs and I’ve never ever found just about anything like it.”

Tens of cars, vans, tents and other short term shelters have been set up in the Eagleby Wetlands carpark, upcoming to Olivers Athletics Advanced.

“It’s unquestionably incredible how it has gone from no one to a number of persons for the duration of Covid, to 30 or 40 autos now and some individuals who really don’t have cars and trucks – it looks like a caravan park,” the resident explained.

She said she lived powering the wetlands and could not consider what she noticed each and every night.

“A lot of individuals really don’t truly feel safe and sound,” she mentioned.

“Council put in all this funds on a playground, but people are tenting proper up coming to it.”

Community homeless company YFS has not too long ago witnessed a “significant boost in individuals dwelling in cars and trucks and tents” at the wetlands.

CEO Christopher John stated virtually 20 per cent of local homeless folks were sleeping out in the open up with no shelter.

“The YFS Outreach group goes out to parts exactly where people are recognized to be sleeping rough in tents, vehicles or short term shelters,” Mr John mentioned.

“Since this new staff began in January 2024, we have already supported more than 100 homeless individuals.

“Most of these folks are sleeping in a tent or a car or truck, but approximately one in five experienced no dwelling and had been sleeping in the open.”

Just five minutes across the freeway at Hugh Muntz Park in Beenleigh is another tent and vehicle city.

Logan has the best level of homelessness in the region with 1,687 people homeless (.49 for every cent of the population), in accordance to the 2021 census.

And the selection has drastically greater considering the fact that then, according to a council report.

Local councillor Karen Murphy said council workers assisted men and women wherever they could.

“There’s so a lot of persons out there that are seeking to help these men and women, and at the end of the day they are people today who are just like us,” she claimed.

“We verify on all kinds of men and women and check out to help them where we quite possibly can.”

Cr Murphy mentioned it was “just not possible” to have people “living in our parks forever”.

“Division 12 has two important precincts, Hugh Muntz Park which is an right away remain, and Olivers precinct,” she mentioned.

“We’ve had up to 80 folks at any given time inside those people parts.”

She stated concerns experienced been exacerbated in current months owing to floods, housing shortages, and Xmas.

“All these individuals are persons and we’re all striving to satisfy their personal needs.”

Mr John said YFS was acquiring about 130 speak to each and every week from folks searching for enable with housing.

“With rents in Logan rising by a lot more than 50 for every cent above the past 3 many years and the value of dwelling continuing to climb, we are viewing far more people today in financial trouble,” he said.

“77 per cent of the men and women who contact us about homelessness report housing affordability stress as one particular of their best considerations, in contrast with 45 per cent 6 months in the past.”