RHETT BURNIE
A KILMORE couple fear their young family will be forced to live on the streets because of a shortage of rental properties in the area.
Kristi Young and her partner David have lived in the same rental home for the past two and a half years but were recently told to vacate because the landlord wishes to sell the property.
"It’s really hard, and very stressful," she said.
"We have to be out by August 18 and we have nowhere to go."
The 23-year-old recently gave birth to premature twins Isabella and Charlotte, both of whom remain in the neonatal intensive care unit of a Melbourne Hospital.|
"It looks like they’ll be in hospital for another ten weeks," Ms Young said.
Ms Young drives into the hospital each day to be with the twins, which leaves her little time to search for a new home.
"I go in there every day, I need to be with them," she said.
The couple applied for a number of properties in recent weeks but have not been successfull.
The distraught mother, who also has a three-year-old son, Brendon, said she submitted applications for four rental properties in Kilmore, Wallan and Broadford recently, but had been rejected.
"If we can’t find a property we are not going to have anywhere to go, even the caravan parks are full," she said.
"The last thing I want is for my children to be on the streets."
Ms Young, who has been on the Department of Housing waiting list for five years, said she felt helpless.
She said she had recently called the department again and told them she was in desperate need of a home, only to be told her chances of receiving one through them were slim.
"They (Department of Housing) said the likelihood of me getting anything in time was next to nothing," she said.
"It’s like because I don’t do drugs, I don’t abuse my children, I don’t drink and I don’t gamble, they don’t care."
A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said Ms Young should seek a referral to the Rural Housing Network.
"We would urge Ms Young to contact the local Seymour housing office," he said.
"If her circumstances change she needs to call the Seymour office of housing and they can organise a referral to the Rural housing Network," the spokesperson said.
Ms Young said would try everything to make sure her family is not homeless.
Director of Kilmore’s Raine and Horne Real Estate, Chris Brennan, told The North Central Review the availability of rental properties in the southern end of the Mitchell Shire is very low.
"We have a 95 per cent occupancy rate so the availability is down," Mr Brennan said.
"The rental market is strong but the supply does not meet the demand."
If you can help Ms Young and her family, please contact The North Central Review on 5734 3344
