WOMEN and children in Newcastle are being offered a car park to sleep in overnight, as frontline services are forced to find innovative ways to provide respite from domestic violence and homelessness.
Minister for Homelessness Rose Jackson said the circumstances that necessitate women and children sleeping rough in cars is "not acceptable".
"Of course I recognise how these efforts to make women and children safe are direct responses to the ongoing housing crisis, but it's not acceptable that this is what we have come to," she said.
"I don't want to see women and children sleeping in cars because that is the only safe place for them.
"We know demand for emergency accommodation and long-term housing is not keeping up with supply."
Newcastle-based homelessness and domestic violence service Nova for Women and Children (Nova) has referred women to the pilot program run by another provider, which began in April.
Ms Jackson said when she was first told about the pilot program, it 'broke her heart'.
"Fundamentally, we desperately need more long-term social housing for women and children leaving violence," she said.
"For many sleeping in cars, this is the permanent housing solution they need."
The pilot program operates a few nights each week at an undisclosed location, designed to protect the safety of the women staying there.
It will run from April until June, and according to an answering message on Nova's landline, is already at capacity.
At the car park, women are provided with food and drink, showers, toilets, laundry, kitchen facilities and access to television. Dogs are allowed and security and support are available.
In a statement, Nova said women participating in the pilot are already vulnerable, and they are unable to provide further details as they don't want to put them at risk.
"We are heartened by the enthusiastic response from our community, both locally and nationally, to share support options for women needing a space to sleep," she said.
"The project is also a pilot, it's testing an idea to see if it provides respite for women that need it and we respectfully ask you to help us do that by not sharing the car parking project information any further.
"We certainly do not see this pilot as a housing solution, but as a response to the immediate crisis currently in our region."
There are a range of local, community led place-based services in Newcastle and the Hunter supporting women and children.
They include Nova, Jenny's Place, Carrie's Place, Warla Ngurra for First Nations women and others, and temporary accommodation is available for anyone who needs it via the state government's Link2Home service.
Ms Jackson said there is a dedicated Assertive Outreach project connecting with those experiencing homelessness in Newcastle, which is a partnership between Homes NSW and St Vincent de Paul.
"We are also delivering a new dedicated women's crisis refuge with Nova for Women and Children and Compass Housing in in Newcastle, with others in the pipeline for Maitland, Port Stephens, Singleton and Lake Macquarie," she said.
"Ensuring these facilities are available as soon as possible is a priority for us."
Ms Jackson said the state government has established Homes NSW and is conducting a Government Land Audit to expedite the work.
She said they are delivering a $600m Social Housing Accelerator and will continue to negotiate with the federal government to lift funding through the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement, as well as looking at the state's own budget.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; MensLine 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
