Newcastle is facing a tsunami of need for social and affordable housing due to job losses, rent hikes and stagnant wage growth, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest host Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz joins Compass Housing’s Events and Community Relations, Michelle Faithfull, to explore the changing demographics of people experiencing homeless and what that looks like beyond visibility of those sleeping on the streets, including couch surfing and sleeping in cars. Hunter Homeless Connect takes its community services directory online, while City of Newcastle signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the NSW Government to identify opportunities for social and affordable housing development in addition to the mandating 15% of new dwellings as such under its Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme.