Bec Darby is faced with a decision that no mother ever wants to have to make.
Either she could find housing for her family or she could place her son, who has special needs, in a care home.
The woman who raised her three children by herself is adamant: “We are a family, and we support one another.”
Bec, who is 33 years old and has a full-time job, also provides care for her disabled son, Hunter, who is 14 years old, as well as for two more young girls.
After that, she is looking for a house that is big enough for all of them to live in it.
Through her emotions, Darby expressed her frustration by stating, “It’s incredibly stressful right now, and it simply isn’t right.”
Darby is another person to fall prey, if you will, to the terrible deficiency that exists in rentals all around Australia.
The vacancy rate in the rental market is near an all-time low, at around 1%.
However, when you have a child that is confined to a wheelchair, cannot manage stairs, and requires a bathroom that is open plan, the possibilities of finding a home become so difficult that it is ripping Darby apart.
“They advised me to give up my career, rely on the state for assistance, and apply for benefits if I wanted any chance of obtaining housing after that point.”
After that, she was provided with yet another recommendation.
“They told me to quit my job, rely on the state, get welfare and I could possibly get a home then. But I just can’t do that. I want to work, I want to support my family,” she added.
“It just doesn’t seem right, this is the only alternative.”
Darby only has nine weeks left to find a new home before her lease expires and the landlord takes back possession of the home.