A social support charity says the cost of living crisis has become so serious it has run out of tents to hand out to those sleeping rough.
Ac.care, which provides social services to people in South Australia's South-East and Riverland regions, has already assisted nearly 400 people this financial year — more than it's budgeted to help in 12 months.
It comes as the cost of living continues to skyrocket while interest rates climb.
Flooding in the Riverland and Murraylands has also put more people in need of support.
Homelessness and community services manager Trish Sparks said the charity needed support from the local community as it was struggling to keep up.
"I've been here very close to 12 years now and this is the worst I've seen the situation," she said.
"Whether it be through homelessness or through people just not being able to meet their expenses due to the rising cost of living at the moment."
Ac.care is the sole state government-supported homelessness charity in the South-East and Riverland, following a restructure of the sector by the former Liberal government in 2021.
Ms Sparks said the service was stretched thin and was even out of last-resort items, such as tents and swags, to hand out to people left homeless.
"We're seeing a lot more than we'd like to because of the lack of housing in the private rental market or public housing … so we see a number of people [who] can't obtain a rental they can actually afford," she said.
"While we're waiting for something to happen we are handing out tents, especially to single people and couples. We do our best to not have families in a tent, but it does happen at times."
More stock to fix 'crisis'
The charity is currently working with 179 people, with some in emergency and temporary housing.
But 83 people are on a waitlist with nowhere to live.
Ms Sparks said the charity itself was "desperate" for assistance from the community, asking residents and businesses to donate food, money or equipment, such as tents and swags.
South Australian Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the solution to the problem was "to get more housing into the community".
"We're at a point now in … Australia and South Australia where every part of the housing market is in crisis," he said.
"Whether it's homelessness accommodation, public housing, affordable housing for people on low or middle incomes, first-home buyers.
"Or even for older people looking to downsize or transition out of the family home into aged care.
"Overall, a big part of the solution has to be getting more stock into the market."
