Two babies die while homeless during WA housing crisis

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A WA mother whose child died while she battled to secure housing said she did everything possible for her baby boy.

Ten-month-old Kenneth’s lifeless body was found in a bed in July and he was laid to rest last week.

WA Police confirmed the death is not suspicious and a report is being prepared for the coroner as is “standard procedure”.

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Kenneth’s mother Crystal, 32, had been staying with relatives at an overcrowded home in Mullewa, 450 kilometres north of Perth, when he died.

The pair had struggled for some time to find a home of their own, no matter how hard Crystal tried.

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“I did everything I could possibly do as a mum,” she told the ABC.

Advocates say Crystal and her child are among WA’s “hidden homeless”, with the pair relying on family and the goodwill of friends to provide a roof over their heads.

Tragically, it has been revealed a premature baby also died shortly after Kenneth in a scenario similar to that experienced by the grieving mother.

In a cruel twist, Crystal, who at times was forced to sleep in her car, was offered public housing in Perth’s southern suburbs just last week.

Kenneth died during a battle by his mother Crystal to secure a home for both of them. Credit: Supplied /Facebook

WA’s social housing waitlist has blown out to 19,000 applications and the average wait time for a home is more than two years.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data, released earlier this year, showed 123,000 people were without a home on Census night in 2021.

The figures also revealed more than 9700 people in WA were experiencing homelessness.

“These figures are devastating and demonstrate Western Australia’s responses to housing and homelessness is not making an impact in reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness,” Shelter WA chief executive Kath Snell said in March.

“This data demonstrates what we have been saying for years – that our services are overwhelmed, we are witnessing record numbers of people being turned away with nowhere to go – and there is an urgent need for more investment into homelessness services and faster pathways for social and affordable housing.”

More than 9700 people experience homelessness in WA. Credit: AAP

On Tuesday the WA government called on builders to be part of its $2.6 billion investment in housing and homelessness services over four years.

The government is aiming to deliver 4000 social homes.

“Our government is using every lever we can to bolster the supply of social housing throughout Western Australia – including expanding our successful State-Wide Builders panel,” Housing Minister John Carey said.

“We’re calling on all small, medium and large builders throughout Western Australia to join the State-Wide Builders panel.”

Carey said the investment also included refurbishments and maintenance work on established social housing properties.