Across America, countless families are grappling with financial constraints as inflation makes it increasingly difficult to cover essential expenses such as food, clothing, rent, and gas. This struggle isn’t confined to the United States; parents in other countries, including Australia, are confronting tough times as well. Herbriella George, an Australian mother, has chosen to voice her concerns about the exorbitant housing costs and the challenging decisions she’s been forced to make as a result.
George forks out more than $450 every week to rent a home plagued by mold and infested with rats. Nevertheless, she considers it a better option than living in a car with her seven children. Like numerous other parents, George is striving to stay afloat financially and secure affordable housing. She is among nearly 60,000 individuals in New South Wales, Australia, who are on a waiting list for social housing.
Despite applying for every accessible property over the past ten years, George hasn’t been chosen, leaving her in a precarious situation. She has viewed between sixty and seventy properties while awaiting housing assistance, and the circumstances have only worsened as her children grow older and require more resources.
After an extensive search, George discovered a mold-infested, rat-ridden house in southern Sydney that no one else wanted. Although she knew it wasn’t an ideal living environment, it was preferable to residing in her car.
Nonetheless, the living conditions are far from perfect. George has had to discard many of her possessions due to mold damage, and she is battling a rat infestation. Despite these challenges, George tries to maintain a positive outlook, jokingly referring to the rats as her “pets” to bring some levity to a dire situation.
In a heart-wrenching revelation, George confessed that she had to relinquish four of her children because she could no longer afford to care for them.
“There are days I don’t even know what to put on the table,” she lamented. “It breaks my heart that I can’t give my kids the home they deserve.”
Regrettably, George’s predicament is not an isolated case. In Australia alone, there are 144,000 people seeking housing assistance. The housing crisis worldwide is pushing parents into dire straits, forcing them to make difficult decisions and struggle to make ends meet.
Herbriella George’s story serves as a poignant reminder that access to affordable housing is a fundamental human right, and no parent should have to choose between living in a car or a home infested with mold and rats. Although it’s a multifaceted issue with no simple resolution, it demands urgent attention to support families like George’s.
WATCH the video below for more details:
Source: AWM