Struggle Street: our worst spots for homelessness crisis revealed

New data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows the number of people receiving assistance at specialist homelessness services has risen across the state.

In Orange, from 2014-15 through to 2022-23, the amount of people battling homelessness more than doubled.

From 489 people seeking assistance nine years ago in Orange to 991 in the last catch of data, that 103 per cent jump is not uncommon right across the region.

Dubbo lept by 91 per cent over the same reporting period, while Gilgandra (713 per cent), Warrumbungle (231 per cent), Narromine (505 per cent), Lachlan (255 per cent), Warren (656 per cent), Bogan (1500 per cent) and Coonamble (321 per cent) all experienced massive jumps, albeit from smaller bases.

The largest number of clients seeking assistance from specialist services out of the above LGAs is 130 in Gilgandra.

Closer to Orange, Cabonne's rate of homelessness jumped 131 per cent - from 35 people to 81 over that nine year period - while the Blayney LGA experienced a rise as well, from 35 to 47, or a 34 per cent increase.

Bucking the trend, Bathurst reported 825 people seeking assistance for homelessness services in 2014-15, however 793 reached out for help in 2022-23. That's a drop of four per cent.

Last year, the Central Western Daily reported rental costs have increased at double the rate of wages in town during the previous 12 months. Tight supply means people who can afford rent often still fail to secure a home.

"We're seeing a new type of client: One that's employed," Penny Dordoy of Housing Plus told the CWD.

"We've got people sleeping in cars with their pets ... they're now looking to us to help them pay bills and find accommodation.

"It's absolutely more prevalent ... we see more and more people who've got jobs, and who're just normal families and under normal situations would get by quite easily."

While women over 55 are the Orange's fastest growing demographic at risk of homelessness. Residents with mental health conditions and drug or alcohol addictions are also particularly vulnerable.

"It's not going to go away," Mission Australia's Orange General Manager Steve Brooker told the Central Western Daily.

What's the toughest part about being homeless in Orange? For Nicholas Bermingham, the answer is immediately obvious.

"The cold," the 31-year old who spent two years of his life without a permanent place to live said.

"Living with the cold is f---ing horrible, especially in the middle of winter.

"I don't know how I survived, but I did. It was that cold, at points I wanted to die. I'm still here though."

Rising demand for homelessness services in NSW has renewed calls for more social housing, as new data showed the worst hit areas of the state.

Homelessness NSW released the data, which showed the number of people seeking specialist homelessness services.

The peak agency said the data showed rises in 58 of NSW's 128 local government areas last financial year.

The largest increases were recorded in Inner West, Canterbury-Bankstown, Penrith, Sydney and Wollongong local government areas.

They were followed by Walgett, Parramatta, Griffith, Campbelltown and the Central Coast.

The agency compiled the data from Australian Institute of Health and Welfare research into specialist homelessness services, which will be officially released on Tuesday.

Homelessness NSW CEO Dom Rowe said the state's housing crisis was "putting huge pressure on frontline homelessness services, with many struggling to keep up with rising demand".

"LGAs across metropolitan Sydney and also suburban and rural areas are seeing increased levels of homelessness," Ms Rowe said.

She said this showed that "plummeting housing affordability is affecting people right across the state".

"Right now, one out of every two people seeking help for homelessness in NSW do not receive it because underfunded services are full."

The agency called for a 20 per cent boost for frontline services while more social housing is built.

Data released in December showed more than 68,000 people accessed specialist homelessness services in NSW last financial year. This equated to one in 119 people across the state.

The top three reasons for seeking this help were people experiencing a housing crisis, financial difficulties and family and domestic violence.

The agency also examined the latest data from NSW Department of Communities and Justice, saying it showed "lengthening waiting times for social housing across most parts of the state".

The longest median wait times for social housing for "general applicants" were in Northern NSW [5.3 years], Illawarra [3.5 years], Sydney [2.8 years], Nepean/Blue Mountains [2.7 years] and the Hunter [2.5 years].

The longest median wait times for social housing for "priority applicants" were Southern NSW [7.1 months], Northern NSW [7 months], Mid North Coast [5.7 months], Central Coast [4.6 months] and Illawarra [4.4 months].

Ms Rowe said vulnerable people "can't get the help they need".

"It is heartbreaking that women and their children fleeing domestic violence have to choose between staying in a dangerous home or sleeping in a tent or a car," she said.

"NSW must increase funding for specialist homelessness services, as Queensland has just done with a 20 per cent boost.

"We must also urgently build more social and affordable homes."

In June last year, it was reported that NSW recorded 1623 rough sleepers, compared to 1207 people the previous year - a 34 per cent increase.

NSW Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson said then that "we need to do better".

Ms Jackson said the government had "made a clear commitment to rebuilding a housing system with dignity and fairness at its core".

It was prioritising "the delivery of more homes".

"The two things that are central to our plan to drive homelessness numbers down are delivering more social housing and more comprehensive support services."