For years, homelessness in the Hilltops was largely invisible.

It looked like someone sleeping on a relative's couch, a family squeezed into an overcrowded home or a friend staying "just for a little while" because they had nowhere else to go.

Today, local support services say that picture has changed.

More people are living in cars, pitching tents or sleeping wherever they can find shelter as the region's shortage of affordable housing collides with rising living costs, leaving hundreds of local residents searching for somewhere safe to call home.

The issue is being highlighted as communities across Australia mark Homelessness Week, an annual campaign that raises awareness of homelessness, housing insecurity and the need for long-term solutions.

The growing crisis has been laid bare in new figures provided by Young Crisis Accommodation Centre ahead of Homelessness Week.

Over the past 12 months, the service supported 473 people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Among them were 67 people who were sleeping rough or staying in crisis accommodation because they had nowhere else to go.

Another 159 people, including families with young children, needed help accessing temporary hotel or motel accommodation because no other suitable housing was available.

Young Crisis Accommodation Centre manager Kerri Palmer said the housing crisis had fundamentally changed what homelessness looked like in the Hilltops.

"Historically, the most common forms of homelessness in the Hilltops have been hidden homelessness, with people couch surfing with family or friends or living in overcrowded housing," she said.

"While these situations are often less visible than sleeping rough, they are just as unstable and can place enormous pressure on individuals and families, increasing the risk of conflict, family breakdown and domestic and family violence."

That hidden homelessness has not disappeared.

Instead, it has been joined by a growing number of people with nowhere left to turn.

"In recent years, however, the housing crisis and rising cost of living have significantly changed what homelessness looks like in our region," Ms Palmer said.

"We are seeing more people than ever before with nowhere to go except their cars, tents or the open."

Despite the growing need, many people remain trapped waiting for permanent housing.

"There simply are not enough social housing properties available, with many people on the priority housing waitlist waiting more than 12 months before being offered a home," Ms Palmer said.

"The question we have to ask is: what are people supposed to do while they wait?"

Every effort is made to connect people with safe temporary accommodation through Young Crisis Accommodation Centre, Margaret House Refuge for women and children escaping domestic and family violence, or local motels and hotels where eligible.

Last financial year, 23 people were accommodated through Margaret House Refuge and YCAC's other crisis accommodation options, but demand regularly exceeded capacity.

Domestic and family violence also remains one of the leading drivers of homelessness in the region.

Last year, 211 people who sought assistance from Young Crisis Accommodation Centre identified domestic and family violence as one of the primary reasons they needed support.

Housing affordability was another major factor, with many people simply unable to keep pace with rising rents and everyday living costs.

The same pressures are being seen by other frontline services.

Hilltops Community Hub manager Naomi Peters said increasing numbers of people seeking assistance were being forced to make impossible financial decisions.

"We're seeing people deciding what to short pay," she said.

"For some it's the electricity bill. For others it's rent, medication or food."

Ms Peters said homelessness was often misunderstood because much of it remained hidden.

People were staying with relatives, moving between friends' homes or living in overcrowded housing simply because they had nowhere else to go.

She said many people sought help long before they became homeless, creating an opportunity to provide support before problems escalated.

That belief has helped drive a new collaborative approach to supporting vulnerable people in the Hilltops.

This week, St Vincent de Paul Society will officially open its new Drop-In Centre in Young, developed in partnership with Hilltops Community Hub, Young Crisis Accommodation Centre, Medicare Mental Health, Wellways and Argyle Housing. The aim is to make it easier for people to access practical assistance, housing support, wellbeing services and community connections in one welcoming location before challenges reach crisis point.

The Drop-In Centre will provide practical support including ready-to-heat meals, shower facilities, computer access and referrals to local services, but organisers say its purpose extends beyond material assistance. It is designed to be a place where people feel welcomed, respected and connected to the help they need.

Ms Palmer said homelessness could happen to anyone.

"Behind every statistic is a person, a child or a family facing circumstances they never imagined," she said.

"Housing is far more than a roof over someone's head. It provides safety, security, health, education, employment opportunities and hope for the future."

She said temporary accommodation would always be just that—temporary.

"What people truly need is access to safe, secure and affordable long-term housing that offers stability, dignity and the opportunity to rebuild their lives."

As Homelessness Week shines a spotlight on the issue, local organisations hope the community will recognise that homelessness is no longer someone else's problem.

It is affecting local families, local workers, local children and local older residents—and through collaboration, they are determined that no one in the Hilltops has to face those circumstances alone.