A group of men who have been sleeping rough in the centre of Sydney say they are on the streets by choice and have organised an encampment they describe as a community, with a single rule they say everyone must follow.
The site beneath the former Bank of China offices at the corner of York and Erskine streets has been occupied for about six months, residents said, and has become a semi-permanent shelter for a number of men who describe themselves as rough sleepers by preference rather than necessity.
"We're out here because we choose it," said David, 52, who has been homeless for five years. "It's not about money — I could get somewhere if I wanted. But I've got a better sense of community here than I ever did back home."
David said he once worked in civil construction, was married with two children and moved from New Zealand to Australia, but his circumstances changed after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he does not rely on begging or theft and that he repurposes items he finds while awake at night.
Residents and observers at the encampment said drug and alcohol use is widespread, and some of the men acknowledge spending limited funds on substances instead of housing. Camp members described a routine and roles within the group and said they have rules intended to maintain order, though they did not elaborate on all the specifics of those rules in interviews.
The men's statements challenge common assumptions about homelessness by framing their situation as a deliberate alternative to conventional housing and financial commitments such as mortgages or rent. Several of those at the site said they prefer the social bonds and autonomy the encampment provides to the pressures of formal accommodation.
Authorities and service providers were not available for comment in the reporting provided by residents. The encampment's presence in a central, high-profile part of Sydney highlights tensions that can arise when urban public space becomes home to people who identify their situation as a chosen lifestyle rather than a result of economic force alone.
Advocates and policy makers typically treat homelessness as a complex social issue linked to housing affordability, health and addiction, employment and social supports. The Sydney group’s assertions add another dimension to public discussion by foregrounding voluntary street dwelling and communal arrangements in a prominent city location.
Residents said they have lived at the York and Erskine site for months and that the arrangement has endured through seasonal changes. They said their decision to remain in the camp reflects a mix of personal history, circumstance and preference.
Reporting on the camp raises questions about how city governments, service providers and the public respond to self-identified, long-term rough sleepers in central urban spaces, particularly when substance use and public safety concerns are reported alongside residents’ claims of choice and community.