While most people can bunker down in their homes as wind and rain batter the Far South Coast, spare a thought for the homeless.
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Two women in their 40s - educated, independent, highly functional - have been living in a tent for six months.
The friends lost their rental property of eight years when ownership changed.
That started their downward spiral.
Emily Read lost her job two months ago.
"It has been that ricochet effect," Ms Read said.
"If I had proper shelter, I could have a shower and get a job in a school."
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They have moved from one camping site to the next.
"We had to leave the last caravan park because of the October long weekend and school holidays.
"We didn't have anywhere else to go," Ms Read said.
An elderly female acquaintance let them pitch their tent on her front lawn in North Batemans Bay.
Educated, employed
They met at work after moving to Batemans Bay in 2015 and became good friends.
Ms Read worked as an early years educator for 20 years and also spent five years providing disability support and elderly care.
"My friend Sylvia Szabo is a former hospitality whiz with honed data entry skills, a can-do attitude and eye for detail," she said.
When they found themselves without a home, they bought a tent from BCF and the material belongings they did not sell or give away went into storage.
A broken system
Over the last six months they have reached out to 22 agencies like Housing NSW and Salvation Army and applied for more than 50 private rentals through 11 estate agents.
Five times they have been promised accommodation only to be let down each time through things like double-bookings.
They are on Housing NSW's priority list, have a guaranteed subsidy from Housing NSW to assist with rental payments and the agency is doing its utmost to find them a private rental.
Ironically, that is not helping.
"When you have that association with Housing it is a black mark.
"In the private rental market if you are a 'houso' they think you are a druggie," Ms Read said.
After five months of moving from one tent site to the next, applying for rentals and dealing with various agencies they are numb, exhausted and at a loss what to do.
Out of desperation Ms Read described their plight in a Bega Valley community noticeboard on Facebook.
"There is no book on this," Ms Read said.
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