Afrustrated Mount Gambier resident is calling for transparency regarding public housing in the region.

Kefi Supports co-founder and chief executive Toby Harrap said he faced many hurdles finding housing for a category one participant, who has a challenging set of needs and was evicted from his home.

“For quite some time we were taking the public housing route, because he is better off with that,” he said.

“I just started to dig, really, I was trying to find options for this gentleman, we had a month to find him somewhere to go.

“I rang every caravan park, every hotel, every motel, everything; there are certain environments he cannot live in, which made it more challenging.

“I found out that so many of the ones that do long-term accommodation are fully booked with people who are waiting on public housing or private.”

Mr Harrap found the participant a hotel room for $320 per week, which he said was the cheapest in town at the time.

Mr Harrap said as of a few months ago transitional housing was full with a 90-person waitlist, and the waitlist for transitional housing to enter permanent housing was even longer.

Mr Harrap took matters into his own hands and rang the Housing SA head office in Adelaide and was advised to send an email, which he said took approximately six weeks to get a response.

“I got a call from one of the people up in Adelaide who is in charge of maintenance and making sure the houses, when someone vacates, are ready for the next person to come in,” he said.

“He told me each house they have is not supposed to be empty for longer than three weeks.

“They have a three-week turnaround to get it all tidied up and good to go again unless there are massive damages.

“I asked him what constituted a massive damage, it is things like needing rewiring, massive holes in the roof, being uninhabitable, if it would be completely unsafe in the way they would be exposed to danger.”

Mr Harrap emailed the office of Human Services Minister Nat Cook, who said if he identified the addresses of the empty houses, they could investigate why they were empty.

“My question is, should not Housing SA have a list of their properties and what is empty and what is not?” he said.

“Should not that just be handed over and can be checked over straight away? But it is me chasing it, it seems ridiculous.

“I have tried to do everything in the most respectful way possible, and through all of that my frustration has just gotten worse.”

According to Mr Harrap, in one Mount Gambier area there were four two-to-three-bedroom vacant housing trust homes on the same street.

Mr Harrap said from his understanding, properties in need of repairs were being left vacant and said although living in a house with damages was not ideal, it was better than homelessness.

“I am hoping they give people waiting for housing desperately the opportunity to say they are willing to live in the house in the state that is in, at a reduced cost while repairs are being done,” he said.

“It is better than sleeping in a car or in the rain, in a tent, freezing cold.

“These people need a roof and walls.

“You actually do not need a lot to live, you just need safety, water, heat and food.

“Somewhere where you can wash so you have got some dignity, so if you are trying to look for work you are presentable.

“It affects every part of your life.

“I would hope we get transparency from Housing SA about each property that is empty and what is needing to be done.

“How can the second biggest city in South Australia not have a homeless shelter? Why do not we have more public housing? Why is any of it empty?

Mr Harrap suggested a block of affordable units in Mount Gambier would help the situation.

“They do not have to be fancy; they do not have to be special; they just have to be strong, solid, affordable, warm homes, that’s all,” he said.

Minister Cook’s office has been contacted for comment.