It's a damning indictment of our region's housing crisis.

Around 400 people are currently homeless in the Gilmore electorate; there is a social housing shortfall of 3300 properties, and people are waiting anywhere from five to 10 years for social housing.

At a press conference in Nowra today, The Greens senate candidate David Shoebridge said the local situation shows "the housing market is broken here in Gilmore".

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The aspiring federal senator was in Gilmore to outline The Greens' proposed solution to the housing crisis, which is gripping communities up and down the South Coast, and across the nation.

"There is a housing crisis across the country and we are getting government referring people in need of a home to charities. That policy needs to end," he said.

"The Greens are bringing to this federal election a policy to build a million new public and affordable homes across the country over the next decade.

"That means thousands of homes here in Gilmore, so that people and families can have secure accommodation."

Homelessness along the South Coast and the lack of housing has been an issue ACM has been highlighting through its Home Truths campaign.

READ MORE: Labor will have 'more to say' on housing crisis during election campaign: Fiona Phillips

Nowra resident Pat Roberts is one of many affected by the region's housing crisis. She is a grandmother and foster parent; the head of a family of seven, plus two beloved pets.

Mrs Roberts and her husband have raised their two grandsons from infancy; the boys' mother was murdered almost two decades ago. The couple also care for two foster children, aged five and seven, and the Roberts' son also lives with the family.

When the Roberts were served with an eviction notice in November 2021, they didn't know what further tragedy was to come.

In the following months, their other daughter succumbed to cancer, and Mrs Roberts' sister-in-law - her 'best friend' - took her own life.

Through all of the devastation, the family still faced the hurdle of finding a safe home.

Mrs Roberts said they were left with no options through the Department of Communities and Justice, and were even told they had too many family members. They were then referred on to local charity Salt Ministries, which runs an assisted housing program.

"They [DCJ] wanted to downsize our family, but we do not want to be apart, we want to be together," she said.

"If it wasn't for Salt and all my support people, I don't know where we would be."

Luckily, Salt has been able to find a home for the family in the interim.

The Roberts will move into a three-bedroom home next week, but case worker Carlie Burridge says she is still looking for somewhere more appropriate for the seven-person family.

Salt is at the coalface of the housing crisis. Not only are they supporting those affected, but the organisation is feeling the pinch of the housing supply shortfall.

Quite simply, there are not enough rental homes for Salt to put people in under its assisted housing program.

"When it comes to Pat, of course we wanted to put her family into a home that was suitable, but all we have is a three-bedroom for her and her family to move into," Ms Burridge said.

"That is a short-term solution. It is not a long term solution."

As the family's advocate, Ms Burridge will continue to lobby on their behalf for more appropriate housing.

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Local councils have long been advocating for improvements to social housing in Gilmore.

Speaking alongside Mr Shoebridge in East Nowra's Parramatta Park, Shoalhaven City mayor Amanda Findley said she is 'heartbroken' by the situations local residents are finding themselves in.

"The housing situation here in the Shoalhaven has gone from grim to worse," she said.

"Today the difficulty in getting homes in Gilmore and beyond has escalated to the point where we've got people who are being turned away from the department - that is here to service their needs - and being sent off to our local charities.

"Local charities are doing a tremendous amount of work, from the heart and with compassion. It's just heartbreaking to hear the stories of more and more families."

Ms Findley said she hears stories every day - in her official capacity, through personal messages, and via her social media channels.

"People are just so desperate to find homes and so desperate to seek assistance, that they go wherever they can. This is no surprise to anyone.

"For at least five years I've been taking this message to the state and federal government that they need to invest here in the Shoalhaven and in Gilmore, to make sure we can build the houses that we need today for the people of today.

"We would love to see more homes built locally; it should have been done a long time ago."