Singleton councillor Mel McLachlan successfully moved and passed a motion at the recent council meeting calling for an investigation into how council could use its resources to ease the homeless crisis.
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She said the situation in our local community when it came to homelessness was at a crisis point.
"We have to, as a community work on finding solutions, to this crisis. As Council owns two vacant houses that might be used for people with no where to live that maybe a start," she said.
Her motion seconded by Danny Thompson and passed unanimously stated "That Council research and determine the costs, staff resourcing, property availability (including the two houses adjoining the waste management facility) and steps required to establish a lease agreement with Upper Hunter Homeless Support (UHHS) similar to the arrangement with Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter Council for the provision of 1 or 2 properties in the Singleton Local Government Area for short term domestic violence and homeless support."
Asked about other Council properties that may be able to be used for housing, Cr McLachlan said she would be interested in following up on any suggestions that could provide solutions to the current situation in Singleton.
"I know even finding a rental property locally is extremely difficult and people are also concerned at rising rents which adds to the crisis in housing affordability," she said.
Local infrastructure projects like the bypass add to supply concerns.