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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Sydney's homelessness crisis 'worse than ever,' says charity leader

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Reverend Bill Crews states Sydney's homelessness crisis is the worst he has ever seen, with 60-100 people lining up daily for food.
  • Volunteers report an increasing number of people seeking assistance, including those with mental health issues and international students.
  • Official figures show a 5% rise in rough sleeping in 2026, while the construction of new housing lags behind targets.

Sydney's homelessness crisis has reached unprecedented levels, according to Reverend Bill Crews, who has witnessed a dramatic increase in people seeking aid. His foundation's food truck in Woolloomooloo now serves between 60 and 100 individuals daily, with some traveling significant distances for assistance. "People will say, 'I've been walking past your vans for years and I never thought I'd be in the queue,'" Reverend Crews remarked, expressing sadness that the situation persists despite years of advocacy.

People will say, 'I've been walking past your vans for years and I never thought I'd be in the queue.'

— Reverend Bill CrewsReverend Crews describes the increasing desperation of individuals seeking help from his foundation's food truck.

Volunteers at other charities echo these concerns. Sara Lee from God's Care Love Feed notes a consistent rise in demand, with new faces appearing each week. This surge includes individuals grappling with mental health challenges and international students facing precarious living situations. The growing need strains community providers, many of whom rely on self-funded services and face limitations in resources.

I've been telling this same story for 50 years and I suppose it will go on for another 50, and you kind of feel sad about that.

— Reverend Bill CrewsReverend Crews expresses his long-standing concern and sadness over the persistent homelessness crisis.

Official data reflects the worsening situation. The 2026 state Street Count recorded 2,308 people sleeping rough, a 5% increase from the previous year. Simultaneously, progress on a federal housing initiative aimed at building thousands of dwellings by 2029 in New South Wales has been slow, with only a fraction of the planned homes completed by April. This shortfall exacerbates the difficulty in finding "safe, secure and affordable" accommodation amidst rising living costs and rents.

every week more [people] come in

— Sara LeeSara Lee, a volunteer at God's Care Love Feed, notes the continuous increase in people seeking food assistance.

Robyn Evans, chief operating officer for community services and housing at BaptistCare, highlighted the growing number of people experiencing homelessness, including those in precarious situations like couch surfing or sleeping in their cars. She noted a concerning trend of employed individuals struggling to make ends meet and an increase in women, including those escaping domestic violence and older women over 55, seeking support. The risks associated with homelessness remain severe, as evidenced by a memorial held in Parramatta for those who have died while experiencing homelessness.

a lot of people [who] have jobs, but they don't have money to survive

— Reverend Bill CrewsReverend Crews highlights that many individuals experiencing homelessness are employed but still cannot afford basic necessities.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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