Social service agencies in Central Otago are struggling to keep up with demand from families and individuals in need, including some of the 11 people who are currently homeless - some living in their vehicles.

Alexandra Community House manager Carole Gillions spoke to the Central Otago District Council last week, sharing some sobering statistics across the 15 organisations that share the space.

In her years as manager, Carole said the levels of stress and pressure had never been seen like they are now, and it didn't help that a number of agencies had Government contracts on hold.

Alexandra Community House and the social service agencies focus on many areas of the community, from improving the housing stock in the area, to looking after seniors, and providing mental health support.

Between January and June this year, agencies were working with 45 community members in long term need, 357 people experiencing financial hardship and using budgeting services, and there was also an average of 10 cases of family violence each week.

The need was spread across Central Otago, with Alexandra residents currently making up 47 per cent of cases, the Teviot and Cromwell 20 per cent and Maniototo 6 per cent.

Of those people, 55 per cent were renting, 22 per cent in home ownership, 15 per cent freehold, 1 per cent in public housing and 4 per cent with no fixed abode.

Carole said of those, 11 people were currently homeless, and leading up to Christmas last year it jumped to 20 - between November and December 2023.

Mayor Tim Cadogan said those figures were “astounding” and said much of the homelessness was unseen.

The Central App was also made aware of a homeless man approaching people in a supermarket carpark last week asking for spare change.

Carole said their first obligation to homeless people was to make sure that they were safe and try to get them into some emergency care.

But, in three recent instances they’ve helped people living in their vehicles, to make their cars warmer, “so they can be warmer.”