Allen McKay’s Post

It is great to see that a significant part of the Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council meeting on Monday was focused on a new outcomes-based funding agreement. Data sharing will play a key role at a national level to ensure that the right information is being monitored, and we can accurately assess the needs and impact. 👉 For some more detail on this head to: https://lnkd.in/gytBdRRd The role of well resourced and appropriately supported national bodies, to coordinate the sector's interests regarding the future housing and homelessness plan and related activity, is also critical. National Shelter Homelessness Australia https://lnkd.in/gi6DFUdw

City of Seattle and King County Approve New Agreement to Streamline Governance Structure of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority Following votes from the Seattle City Council and King County Council, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell and King County Executive Dow Constantine will sign a revised interlocal agreement (ILA) to streamline the governance structure of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). The amended ILA reaffirms the City and County’s commitment to a regional approach to address homelessness and creates a single oversight board to improve the agency’s coordination, accountability, and transparency. t “The homelessness crisis doesn’t start or stop at the borders of any one city, and we need meaningful regional collaboration to bring more people inside to safe, stable housing with the services they need to get well,” said Mayor Harrell. “This new ILA builds on the important lessons learned from the first three years of KCRHA’s operations to improve efficiency and accountability in decision making, strengthening the agency’s capacity to deliver real results that reduce homelessness and improve lives. Working together with Dr. Kinnison and partners throughout King County, we will continue to act with a sense of urgency and compassion to help people in need in Seattle and across our region.” https://lnkd.in/gcAbCKFU

New homelessness stats for England, up to end Dec 23, out today. And yet again everything is heading up. Before digging in, a couple of figures in particular are striking: on 31st December 2023, 112,660 households were in temporary accommodation, an increase of 12.1% from 31st December 2022. Households with children in temporary accommodation increased by 15.0% to 71,280. It is of course worth noting that these increases typically exceed any increases in the spending power of local authorities - the bodies with statutory responsibility for providing and paying for these services. Update, following a little bit of digging: the astonishing fact that there has been an increase of 363% in the requirement to leave accommodation provided by the Home Office as asylum support. And, unfortunately unsurprisingly, the number of families in B&B continues to rise - increasing by 10.9% in the last quarter of 2023, to 2,960. More detail at: https://lnkd.in/eWqY7aNV

The NSW Government's budget sets out a long overdue and welcome investment of $6.1 billion in social housing and a package of $527.6 million for homelessness services and temporary accommodation. Our latest blog sets out the funding announcements related to the homelessness sector and their implications. We hope that this is a useful resource for you in unpacking what the budget means for specialist homelessness services and the people they support. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/gcafyUMd We will take the opportunities available through these budget investments to advocate for more supported, safe and accessible temporary accommodation, and resources for providers to deliver critical services and pathways into homes with the support to keep those homes. We will be calling on our members in the coming weeks to help inform recommendations to government about the best ways to spend the $527.6 million for homelessness services. If you'd like to become a Homelessness NSW and play an important part in our advocacy, please visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gNHeXjZx #homelessness #homelessnessnsw #nswbudget

Almost 4000 households sought homelessness support in Gippsland in 2023-24, and that figure doesn’t include those who did not receive support due to an overdemand for support services. We need more support, and we need more housing so we can support the thousands waiting on social housing. We need to end homelessness. https://lnkd.in/g9Pj7jwv #endhomelessness Homelessness Australia

We are missing a big piece of the puzzle in our national homelessness statistics 🧩 When we lost the ring fencing of Supporting People funding, we also lost (fairly shortly after) the national outcome frameworks that came with it (image below). We have publicly available data (at the local authority level) on: ✅ Statutory homelessness ✅ Temporary accommodation ✅ Rough sleeping ✅ Social lettings to people from various forms of homelessness But what about the numbers within different types of short-term, transitional supported accommodation; and housing related support services? i.e the main bit of most single homelessness pathways between acute forms of homelessness and settled accommodation. The place where we know many people can get stuck? We have some things, but it’s limited: ✅ We have the annual review of single homelessness support published by Homeless Link which includes information about the number of hostels and shelters in England, and available bed spaces, at a national level ✅ We have the statutory homelessness data (H-CLIC) which can tell us at a local level how many people are owed duties due to being evicted from supported housing, and how many people are having duties discharged into supported housing We are therefore wholly reliant on locally held data, which is variable in terms of quality, timeliness; and in different formats. Part of the challenge is local oversight and understanding of non-commissioned provision. When the provisions of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act come in, local authorities will be required to produce a supported housing strategy. This must be based on an assessment of current availability of supported exempt accommodation. Surely this an opportune moment to create a consistent format for this? And subsequent data return to collate and publish national statistics? Imagine the insights! 💡And how these could be used to help us end rough sleeping and homelessness for good

As highlighted in a recent article by The Canadian Press, Montreal and other Canadian cities are grappling with persistent homelessness, particularly as more people resort to living in tent encampments due to a severe lack of affordable housing. The pandemic exacerbated the issue, causing a rise in homelessness, which has led to the proliferation of makeshift shelters in areas like Montreal’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district. Unfortunately, the standard response has been to dismantle these encampments, which merely pushes homeless individuals to move elsewhere without resolving their housing instability. Experts argue that evictions only perpetuate a cycle of displacement rather than address root causes. James Hughes of Old Brewery Mission points to more progressive solutions, like Houston’s comprehensive approach, which helps people transition into permanent housing while still offering support in encampments. Similarly, Halifax has implemented designated tent areas, complete with basic amenities, as a temporary solution until suitable housing becomes available. Toronto is beginning to shift to a more humane, rights-based model, but the effort remains inconsistent, with some encampments still being dismantled. Despite these efforts, opposition from local residents and insufficient affordable housing stock continue to stall progress, making a sustainable solution appear elusive. At Safe Transitions, we believe more comprehensive action is urgently needed to address Canada’s homelessness crisis effectively. Displacement through encampment clearings merely relocates people without providing a stable, dignified solution. We urge policymakers to adopt a coordinated, housing-first approach that provides stable, permanent housing and tailors supportive services to meet each individual's needs. Successful examples, like Houston’s model, prove that collaborative efforts and well-structured housing solutions can break the cycle of homelessness. In addition to housing, municipalities should invest in preventive measures such as mental health services, addiction support, and employment assistance to empower vulnerable populations. It’s time for Canada to create a compassionate and effective roadmap that addresses homelessness not as a public nuisance but as a solvable issue rooted in dignity, security, and opportunity for all. #housingcrisis #toronto #homelessness #safetransitions

In spring 2023, the federal government awarded 32 communities across the country with additional resources to address unsheltered homelessness. Some of the challenges faced by these communities that they strive to tackle with these additional resources include a severe lack of affordable housing or housing assistance programs to meet the need, homelessness response systems being stretched thin, people who are unsheltered needing clear pathways to access homeless services, and policy and politics getting in the way of solutions that work. Read the full piece and access the National Allliance to End Homelessness Research Institute’s analysis at https://lnkd.in/ganTqBw5

Calls and emails going unanswered, doors locked, and service users being turned away. That is the reality of the pressure on Australia’s Specialist Homelessness Services as homelessness continues to increase. Along with @Kate Colvin from Homelessness Australia (HA) CEO Frances Crimmins attended the launch of Homelessness Australia’s new research into the crisis among Specialist Homelessness Services. The “Call Unanswered” report reveals that official figures are not capturing the full extent of unmet demand which has increased significantly as services try and keep pace. The survey found that over a two-week period: 🚪 39 per cent of services were forced to close their doors to people seeking help at least once during the fortnight. ☎️ 83 per cent of services were unable to answer phone calls for some period during the survey, leaving people in crisis without immediate assistance. ✉️ 74 per cent of services were unable to reply to emails during the survey, impacting housing referrals and support requests. The report also estimates that between 2016 and 2022, the number of people at risk of homelessness in Australia increased by 63%. This is the stark reality of being homelessness or managing housing crisis in Australia. At YWCA Canberra our housing and tenancy support services are available to women and families who are in housing crisis or homelessness. That’s why we support Homelessness Australia’s call to increase funding for frontline homelessness services, and for state and territory governments to match Commonwealth funding. Through our advocacy work, we have consistently called for increased investment, more social housing buildings and better income support to help those on very low incomes maintain their housing. We urge governments to step up and address this crisis so people who are in housing crisis can get the assistance they desperately need. #nooneturnedaway #endhomelessness

🌟 Dive into the challenges and opportunities ahead for homelessness in 2024: Responding to New and Existing Challenges: Homelessness, especially unsheltered, surged in 2023, surpassing 2007 levels. Communities face obstacles in low-income housing availability and essential service access. Advocacy is crucial to inform leaders and secure necessary investments for change. Homelessness as an Election Issue: With 2024 being a Presidential election year, homelessness is under the spotlight. Local officials feel pressure, leading to both constructive and harmful responses. Advocacy and education are vital to uphold evidence-based strategies and address homelessness effectively. Homelessness and the Supreme Court: The Supreme Court will hear a significant case on homelessness for the first time in 40 years. The decision could impact localities' ability to address involuntary unsheltered homelessness. Advocates are closely monitoring developments and preparing for potential implications. Join us in advocating for positive change and staying informed about critical developments throughout the year. Stay informed: https://lnkd.in/ew4Cqw-k 📞 Call us at (678) 539-6010 🌐 www.ringercenter.net #RingerCenter #Empowerment #SkillsForLife 🌟🌐🤝 #employmentopportunities #employmentdevelopment