After years of living in temporary accommodation, 74-year-old Elaine Briggs, with the support of Argyle Housing, has found a place to call home.

It follows the sudden closure in February of what was known commonly as the Golf Ball Motel.

Ms Briggs was one of 10 people living at the motel when Wingecarribee Shire Council building and compliance officers took steps to close the site after deeming it “an unacceptable risk to occupants”.

Ms Briggs has been homeless and living in temporary accommodation, including Allan’s Motel, since 2003.

“I was going from motel to motel,” she said.

That was until Argyle Housing helped Ms Briggs to secure long-term accommodation in Moss Vale, which she describes as “safe and secure”.

“It’s really, really beautiful,” Ms Briggs said.

“I wouldn’t go back there if you paid me to.”

Argyle Housing CEO Carolyn Doherty said the Allan’s Motel closure was unfortunate for people in need of emergency housing.

“Argyle Housing was really happy that we could assist this family and others that were impacted by the fire at the Golf Ball Motel to get into more permanent accommodation,” she said.

“We are more than willing to assist anybody that is finding themselves in housing stress and we partner with other local services to provide options for these people.”

When the council forced the closure of the motel, it also shone a spotlight on social housing and homelessness in the Highlands.

“The owner of the motel was given an order to commence vacating their guests following an inspection, which revealed a range of fire safety issues requiring urgent attention,” a Council spokesperson said.

At that time the council’s communities and place director, Adan Davis, said helping the occupants and residents into alternative safe accommodation was “the focus”.

Highlands Community Centres CEO Suzi Kenney said it was disgraceful that a “condemnable” motel was being used as an emergency housing option for the elderly, and women fleeing domestic violence.

She described it as an “inappropriate and inadequate” housing option for people who have no other options.

And as NSW prepares to head to the polls on Saturday, affordable housing and homelessness has become a key issue.

In Goulburn, Labor candidate Michael Pilbrow has promised a “think tank” if elected.

“There’s so many people in the electorate with ideas, concerns, skills and experiences that I want to get a group of people in a room for this electorate,” he said.

“From builders to developers to social housing advocates to community members.”

Mr Pilbrow said housing was an issue without one single solution.

“I’ve done work in my previous life around affordable housing strategies and to me it is like 30 to 50 things that need to work together; there is no one thing to do, and anyone that promises that there is, is wrong,” he said.

“It’s a complex and wicked problem and at a personal level it’s heartbreaking.”

Wollondilly candidate for Greens Jason Webster said his party’s policies were focused on public ownership; public housing; affordable housing and “having the safety nets there”.

“The Greens are aiming for 10 per cent public/social housing,” he said.

“How did the Government get to this point where housing is so bad that the people who provide the services can’t afford to live where the services are; making coffee and putting groceries on the shelf, those simple services that we need?”

Mr Webster raised the issue at a candidates forum.

“Census data showed that 10 per cent of Australia’s housing was empty on census night; that’s over one million homes,” he said.

“How about we fill them in?”