[CowextetleSix]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574...-29277,00.html

22,500 people in NSW lost their homes last year

THE number of people needing temporary accommodation because they have lost their homes has risen by 33 per cent, New South Wales Housing Minister David Borger says.

A total of 22,500 people sought immediate help from Housing NSW in 2007/08, up by 7600 on the previous year.

The figure represents an average rise of 643 people a month.

Another 28,000 households were provided with Rentstart assistance from the NSW Government to help with bond and rental payments.

Mr Borger said it had cost $9 million to find safe shelter for the thousands of extra people needing places to stay, a cost increase of 51 per cent on the previous year.

"More and more people are struggling to keep a roof over their heads," he said.

Mr Borger said the NSW Government was already spending $808 million over the next two years to upgrade existing properties and build or buy 2500 new homes for public housing.

Money from the Federal Government's stimulus package was expected to allow NSW to build an extra 6000 houses on top of that, he said.