IT’S not the cold nights, the rainwater or the cars speeding down the Princes Highway that keep Dave Fiola up at night, it’s worrying whether his mates will be awake to help him if he falls in to another diabetic coma.

Mr Fiola, 48, is one of a small community of eight to 10 people who sleep rough under the disused brickworks on the Newtown side of Sydney Park.

Related: Rough sleepers increasing at one of Sydney’s tourist hubs

The archways — once kilns — are now a complicated network of tarpaulins, blankets, milk crates and gas cookers, with each person assigned their own area. One archway is set aside to act as a makeshift bathroom.

media_camera Sydney Park in St Peters is a grean haven within the inner west. Picture: John Appleyard

Like most of the rough-sleepers at the park, Mr Fiola suffers from a variety of illnesses, both mental and physical. He said having friends around is of some comfort, but he still lives in almost-constant fear.

“I have diabetes so I need a fridge,” he said. “I can’t have one here so I’ve stopped my diabetes medicine for a while.

“I’ve been in a coma before — that’s part of the reason why I’m here — if it happens again people can call the ambulance. That’s if they wake up in time.

media_camera Dave Fiola lives at the old brickworks in Sydney Park, he is concerned that he is not getting the treatment he needs to treat his diabetes. Picture: Craig Wilson

“It’s scary, they (the comas) last until the ambulance picks me up. I know I’m not getting the treatment I need.”

To add to his concerns, Mr Fiola’s tester kit was recently stolen along with his wallet, phone and other personal belongings.

Mr Fiola grew up on Crown St in the heart of Sydney before moving to Campbelltown, Liverpool, Brisbane and Cairns and has spent many years sleeping rough.

media_camera Some of the alcoves that house a homeless community in Sydney Park, St Peters. Picture: Craig Wilson

He lives on a disability pension of $739 a fortnight and believes this is not enough to get a place to call home. He said he has lost faith in Sydney’s housing system.

Paul Adabie, Housing and Services Manager of The Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, said the booming property market in the inner west had forced people in to smaller properties.

He said the trickle-down effect of this led to rising rents in the boarding houses which traditionally catered for those in trouble.

media_camera Dave Fiola sits in his alcove at the former brickworks at Sydney Park. Picture: Craig Wilson

“Some boarding houses are trying upgrade and become a bit more up-market so rents have been pushed up,” he said.

“The average rent for somewhere semi-decent is hitting $190 (a week), even $240 for a double room and that’s just way beyond people on Centrelink payments.

“There’s a real financial stress. The demand is there so they (the boarding houses) can afford to put the prices up.”

Sydney Park falls within the City of Sydney council’s LGA. A street count by the council in February showed rough sleepers had increased by 26 per cent over the last year.

media_camera The old brick works in Sydney Park house a community of rough sleepers and have done for many years.

A council spokeswoman said sleeping rough was never safe but people have been living in the brick kilns for “many years”.

“The City of Sydney’s Homelessness Unit and outreach staff from other organisations have been working with people experiencing homelessness, who have been sleeping rough at the site,” she said.

“The City and other agencies always seek to find more permanent accommodation for people in these situations, because shelter or a home is the most basic need of any human.”

Sadly, for those living in Sydney Park, those basic needs aren’t currently being met.

media_camera A community of homeless people has set up in the old brickworks at Sydney Park. Picture: Craig Wilson

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● The Department of Family and Community Services report that as of the 2011 ABS Census, there are 1,915 homeless people in the inner west (Ashfield, Burwood, Strathfield, Leichhardt and Canada Bay council areas.)

● Of these, ten were rough sleepers, 1078 were in boarding houses, 252 were in supported accommodation, 130 were staying temporarily with other households and 436 were in severely crowded dwellings

● The February 2014 street count conducted by the City of Sydney — which has responsibility for Sydney Park — showed a 26 per cent increase in the numbers of rough sleepers over the last 12 months. 346 people are thought to be sleeping rough in the city.