![Council will not remove homeless from campsites Council will not remove homeless from campsites](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/156570134/e6b80c4e-ee1c-4923-bb01-31f1e9f703db.jpg/r0_0_724_322_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Eurobodalla Shire Councillors have unanimously voted to permit homeless people living in council owned campgrounds to exceed the legal stay limit.
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NSW legislation states that no visitor may occupy a movable dwelling in a primitive camping ground for longer than 50 days in any 12-month period.
At the council meeting on November 22, the councillors unanimously voted to not enforce the local government regulation on the campgrounds at North Head, Moruya and Mystery Bay - where more than 60 people have lived in tents and caravans for more than 50 nights because of a lack of affordable housing alternatives.
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Deputy mayor Alison Worthington said the situation was dire because affordable and social housing in the shire was "overcapacity and overfilled".
"There is no where else to go," Cr Worthington said.
"The services really struggle to find places for people to go."
Council's economic development divisional manager Andrew Greenway said the services at the campsites were designed for short-term camping.
"I don't think it is a viable place for people. It's just the only place," he said.
Council's Director of planning Lindsay Usher said there were some downsides to the council's decision, including loss of income and heavy usage of the council's facilities at the campgrounds.
However mayor Mat Hatcher said the decision was about supporting those most in need in the community.
"We are in the situation we are in, and we need to look after the people who are there," he said.
The motion will see the council enter into agreements with the residents to comply with standard campground rules and any additional rules required by the council to manage their stay.
The unanimous vote also included that the council will continue advocacy to State and Federal Government to address the lack of low cost and emergency housing in the shire.