In a town where a baby died at a campsite, the homelessness data does not add up

As winter settles over the fog and frost-prone city of Wagga Wagga, there is a sense of despair among the growing number of people experiencing homelessness.

"The stick's gone through the tent, so there's tape on that. Still gets wet in there, then you can't dry your bedding."

Deanne said she alerted authorities in October that she had to leave an abusive relationship and needed somewhere to live.

Unable to wait, she eventually made the difficult decision to leave the coastal town where her children from a previous relationship were living.

"Every time I rang housing, it was, 'It's getting assessed, getting assessed,'" she said.

"I said, 'Look, I'm going to have nowhere to go' … I was trying to look around for somewhere safe."

The rain and cold are key concerns for rough sleepers as winter sets in. (ABC News: Lauren Pezet)

An emergency response to the homelessness crisis is underway in Wagga after a baby died and their twin was hospitalised shortly after their birth at a camp on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River in May.

Dozens of camps are still visible in the city and its surroundings, including at new locations along the river and in a central park.

A Homes NSW spokesperson said there had been "a reduction in people camped along the river due to the engagement of Homes NSW", and that "there was more to do".

The number of tents being set up along the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga continues to grow. (ABC News: Lauren Pezet)

Born and bred in the area, Tim Collins found himself homeless for the first time after falling behind in his rent about three months ago.

"There aren't many [houses] around, and a lot of people are applying," he said.

"I have noticed too that there are people who offer more than what the rent is."

Tim Collins says it has been really hard to find a new job while experiencing homelessness. (ABC News: Lauren Pezet)

Mr Collins said being homeless made it a "struggle" to get his life back on track.

The data on the number of people sleeping rough is sparse, with the Census only collecting figures every five years.

The Australian Alliance to End Homelessness is working with community groups in some areas to help bridge the data gap and inform policy.

"It's definitely a bad situation getting worse," chief executive David Pearson said.

"There are ad hoc arrangements around the country … so it's a real challenge to pinpoint exactly what's going on in different places."

David Pearson says we know "homelessness is a killer". (ABC News: Che Chorley)

The latest street count conducted by NSW agencies showed that numbers in