WA housing crisis: Pensioners and cancer patients forced to live in cars on Memorial Drive, Safety Bay

The shameful scale of WA’s housing and cost of living crisis has been exposed with pensioners among dozens of people forced to live in tents and cars on the side of the road unable to afford a home.

Memorial Drive in Safety Bay, about 50 kilometres south of Perth, has become the end of the line for many residents forced out of the rental market because they can no longer pay the exorbitant costs.

Rockingham local, Peter, used to rent across the road. for the site but a sharp rent increase forced the former tradie onto the street.

“Devastating, absolutely devastating,” he told 7News.

“You’re just living day by day, your running back and forth from the supermarket because you can’t keep the food for long. You’ve got to be careful where you spend your money.

“Over in the house I was out of the elements and it’s a bit warmer and you’ve got a to more room to move around. This is like being in a jail cell.”

It’s the same experience for, Mia, who used to be a disability support worker, helping others, but now she needs help herself.

She’s been living out the back of her car now for more than 9 months.

“I was absolutely petrified coming into being homeless,” she said.

“When you’ve got three days of rain, continuous rain, and you can’t get out of your car and cook, and you’re stuck.”

According to the community that camp in the area, there are about thirty people sleeping rough - and the numbers have grown exponentially in recent months.