WITH Wagga's emergency accommodation shelters at capacity, those without homes are being left with nowhere to go.
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St Vincent de Paul's Edel Quinn homeless accommodation team leader Bonnie Jackson-French said the new year had brought with it little change in those using the shelter's service.
Edel Quinn has remained at capacity since last year and workers are now having to redirect the influx of referrals that have been coming in.
"We haven't had a lot of movement, we've been full most of the time just because, I suppose, it's really difficult for people to get private rentals and housing at the moment," Mrs Jackson-French said.
"Unfortunately we've had people staying with us a little longer than usual."
While it isn't uncommon to see an increase in guests following the holiday period, it was usually only temporary.
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"We generally see a bit of a pick-up after the holiday period but we usually have more movement in terms of people getting properties and people moving out," Mrs Jackson-French said.
"We're not really seeing that at the moment."
Mrs Jackson-French said the service hadn't had an increase in the number of people staying with them, but only because they don't have any spare rooms.
"I know there are a lot of referrals coming through and a lot of people who are seeking assistance, but we're just run off our feet at the moment," she said.
With the pandemic adding further challenges to the mix, shelter staff have had their hands full.
"Like a lot of places, we've also been affected by COVID-19 and we've been down a lot of staff as well," Mrs Jackson-French said.
Homelessness Australia's chairwoman Jenny Smith said there needed to be more government support for housing and people experiencing homelessness.
"It's time for all political parties to commit to ending homelessness," she said.
"We have a choice between homelessness rates continuing to grow, or committing and reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness."
Ms Smith said one way the federal government could help combat homelessness was by increasing people's pay rates.
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