Margaret, 80, and Lorna, 76, know too well the struggle of the unaffordable housing market in the Eurobodalla.
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Both moved here from other towns looking for better value for money, both struggled in the private rental market, and both approached Southern Cross Community Housing (SCCH) for help.
They have agreed to share their stories, but did not wish to have their real names published.
Lorna now lives in an affordable home, costing less than 30 per cent of her income, rented through SCCH.
She was previously paying 53 per cent of her weekly aged pension on rent - $250 for a three-bedroom weatherboard home in Batemans Bay.
After government rental assistance, she was left with $200 a week for living expenses, including medical costs, transport, utilities and food.
“You have nothing left for emergencies.
“If you’re lucky enough to have savings, you continue digging into them for transport or emergency dental or breakages,” she said.
“Utility bills are a constant worry.
“You don’t go out.”
Lorna said that so many holiday homes sitting empty for most of the year in the shire made the market more challenging.
“People aren’t willing to rent them to long-term tenants, certainly not at an affordable rate,” she said.
“There are people obviously struggling.
“It is getting worse.”
Lorna said the federal government’s rental assistance was unrealistic.
“The maximum rental assistance is $124 per fortnight,” she said.
“Most places, if you’ve got a young family and you’ve got to get a three-bedroom place, you’re looking at $350 to $400 a week and the maximum rental assistance is $60 a week.”
Margaret pays $250 a week for a two-bedroom Batehaven rental property and this week approached SCCH in the hope of being placed on the waiting list.
Margaret said she had health issues and her current home was inaccessible.
She said a lack of footpaths made it hard to reach shops on her mobility scooter.
She has only a short-term lease and fears eviction.
Paying rent was a struggle, but Margaret was realistic.
“There’s people worse off than me,” she said.
“There’s people who have to live in their cars.”
* Margaret and Lorna’s names have been changed to suppress their identity at their request.
