After seven years of living in the back of his van, Perry is determined to be content.
The 61-year-old lives in a campground on the South Coast of New South Wales, and he's not the only one.
North Head Campground in Moruya was originally a hotspot for holiday-makers, but now it is populated with dozens of families experiencing homelessness.
For Perry, it is a refuge.
"I live week to week and I could not survive without the pension," he says.
He shudders to think what would happen to locals sleeping rough if North Head did not exist.
Perry is one of more than 100,000 voters living in the marginal federal electorate of Gilmore, a crucial NSW seat in the upcoming election.
Data from the University of NSW revealed 69.6 per cent of voters in this electorate were experiencing rental stress.
"I know a family that's moving out here right now and they're setting their tents up as we speak," Perry said.
"They'll be here until they can find a house and that's going to be a long, long, long time."
Shae Lee Sackender is another Gilmore resident struggling to secure housing after her landlord decided to move back into her rental home.
She lives in West Nowra with her partner and two kids. They are being evicted next month.
"Every day we're waking up to at least six to seven unsuccessful applications," she said.
"It's just so difficult because we go to open houses and we see how many people are struggling down here at the moment because at least 40 to 60 people show up to inspections."
Ms Sackender and her family are on the brink of homelessness.
A recent report by UNSW and the Australian Council of Social Service showed that regional rents nationally are now 18 per cent higher than two years ago.
That was why Liberal candidate for Gilmore, Andrew Constance, said the Coalition was committed to getting people out of the rental market through buyer schemes.
"That first home guarantee where you only require a 2.5 per cent deposit becomes very important so that you start to ease the pressure on the rental market," he said.
But Mr Constance said issues with the rental market would not be fixed for a long time.
"Dealing with rental assistance and supply issues is the key challenge for everybody in this space, but it's a challenge which is going to take a little bit of time to address given that the homes just simply aren't available," he said.
The federal government has also allocated $1.6 billion annually for states and territories from the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement to improve Australians' access to secure and affordable housing.
But spokesperson for housing advocacy service Everybody's Home, Kate Colvin, said that was not enough.
Meanwhile, the Opposition has promised to deliver $10 billion for 30,000 new social and affordable housing properties in its first five years in government if elected.
But sitting Gilmore MP and Labor candidate Fiona Phillips has been grilled on what will be done by her party for those without a place to live right now.
"We have a huge [increased need] for affordable and social housing. It is going to take some time to kick that off," she said.
"But certainly I'm having those discussions with the shadow minister about what we can do right now to help as well."
Housing advocate Kate Colvin said Labor's promised $10 billion in funding still was not enough to meet demand.
Despite it all, Perry has come to terms with experiencing homelessness and has grown used to his situation.
"I can afford to live here so I have to be content, because that's all I have," he said.
