For Paul Plowman and Stephen Brown, life with an intellectual disability can be challenging enough.
Now, they're staring down the possibility of becoming homeless amid crisis-level housing shortages in regional Western Australia.
Despite being supported by a disability support service and state and federal governments, the Busselton locals' landlord has decided not to renew their lease after March 28 and they are struggling to secure a new home.
The pair struggle with verbal communication but are advocated for by Amanda Lovelock, the executive manager of operations for Activ.
She said even though the organisation owned more than 70 homes across WA, it had been unable to secure something long term for the men.
"It certainly feels like there's a lack of housing options available right now; the demand is excessively high, particularly in this region.
"And that's the mainstream housing, let alone when you start needing housing that requires modifications to it."
According to the Department of Communities, rental listings hit a record low in 2021 and, as of January 31, the department had 1,336 applications for public housing in the South West, of which 135 were priority-listed.
The average wait time for those on the general wait list was just over two years, while the average wait time for priority-listed applicants was 35 weeks.
Ms Lovelock said Activ had been forced to look elsewhere to meet the needs of its clients.
"Over the last few years, because of a shortage of housing stock that's suitable to meet the needs of people with disability, we've had to go to the mainstream market," she said.
"And that's where we've got into this situation in Busselton ... our ability to compete with the current pool of people seeking a home is really difficult."
Ms Lovelock said if another rental property couldn't be found, the men could be separated into emergency accommodation or relocated to a neighbouring town like Bunbury, 52km away from family and friends.
"One of the gentlemen suffers from dementia and likes to go out and walk around his community.
"If we have to relocate him to a completely different environment, there is a real risk there that he could get lost."
An all-too-familiar story
Advocacy WA chairperson Jethro Hepton said the pair's struggle wasn't unique and that finding housing in regional WA as a person with disability was incredibly complicated.
"There's this misconception that the NDIS was created to give everybody with a disability everything that they need or want," he said.
While the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) offers funding towards specialist housing and home modifications, it doesn't provide properties for people with disability.
"You look at the private rental market, there's no houses that I'm aware of up for rent with home modifications that can even fit a wheelchair in there," Mr Hepton said.
He said if suitable housing could not be found, people might have to go into a nursing home or a permanent care situation, stripping them of the choice of independent living.
Since the start of the year, Advocacy WA has received 83 referrals related to homelessness.
Once someone with a disability becomes homeless, Mr Hepton said it became almost impossible for disability service providers to assess and help them in their situations.
"There are people couch-surfing, in tents or caravans and caravan parks without secure accommodation.
"They can't even engage in a planning conversation … because staff cannot go into an unsafe environment."
Government, NDIA working with Activ
A Department of Communities spokesperson said it was aware of the men's situation and were committed to working with Activ to find solutions.
"There is significant demand for housing right across the state, and the reforms the state government has put in place are putting Communities in the best position to deliver social housing as quickly as possible in our heated construction market," they said.
The government is investing $2.1 billion into social housing over the next four years, creating 3,300 new social houses, the spokesperson said.
They added that while many applicants on the social housing waitlist had a roof over their heads, many still experienced housing stress, paying more to access their house than was affordable, and forgoing other essentials such as food, clothing or education.
