A perfect storm of booming tourism and a tightening real estate market has created a new class of homeless in regional NSW.An emerging class of homelessness sees skilled professionals sleeping in their cars as the rental market tightens
Before making the switch to Orange as part of their visa requirement, the cousins lived and worked in Sydney. As Suman's start date drew closer and closer, he posted a notice on a local community Facebook group but received no reply."We couldn't go back to Sydney, the lease was up and I had to start my new job," he said.Orange local and pianist Debbie Nicholls was happily living on her own when she saw the post on Facebook."I just thought, 'Well I've got two rooms here'," Ms Nicholls said.
Beverly Rankin is the development manager for community services not-for-profit Fusion in Orange, central west NSW. She also helps run the city's Uniting Church's homeless support service.