By CAITLIN HENDERSON 

Some of Melbourne’s homeless feel they have no choice but to refuse support that would see them living in dangerous rooming houses.

Council to Homeless Persons consumer affairs manager Ian Gough said  some people turned down accomodation because they felt “safer” sleeping rough.

“I can’t stress enough how often I’ve been told by people who are experiencing homelessness how unsafe rooming houses are,” Mr Gough said.

“They’re getting a loungeroom, cutting it in half, putting a ply wall between the two, and [charging] $200 for each of those sides.”

City of Melbourne’s StreetCount in 2016 uncovered a 74 per cent increase in the number of homeless living on the streets over a two-year period.

Jeff Lloyd, 40, has been sleeping rough in the CBD for several weeks and said rooming houses were “just not worth it”.

“They’ve all been full of idiots. Full of drunks, ice heads … a lot of crap goes on,” Mr Lloyd said.

“People were starting fights over cigarettes.”

“I know it sounds strange but it feels better out here, it’s safer out here.”

Neil Scott, 37, has been sticking with Mr Lloyd since his leaving his last boarding house, which was arranged through a homelessness support service.

He endured repeated threats of stabbing and assault, and was pelted with eggs when returning home.

“It had cockroaches, it had bloody mice and dirty great slugs are in there … I called it the coffin,” said Mr Scott.

“It was hot and miserable, it stunk. So that’s why I moved back onto the streets.”

The rise in homelessness comes on the back of Australia’s affordable housing crisis, with the State Government recently announcing a plan to provide 6000 additional dwellings over the next five years.

In January, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said he was seeking additional move-on powers for police. The move came in response to a homelessness "camp" set up outside Flinders St Station during the Australian Open.

“There's no reason people should be sleeping on the street, there are no reasons people should be homeless,” he said.