Homelessness NSW’s Post

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

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

https://lnkd.in/gADejk2D Addressing homelessness effectively requires more than band aid solutions at the city level. It requires a comprehensive approach that integrates all levels of government and sectors with housing, mental health services, supportive services, and community support. St. Catharines has admitted to spending millions of dollars on trying to manage the homelessness problem within the city. Spending millions of dollars on band aid solutions such as the $500,000 self-cleaning public restroom (which has likely cost over a million dollars to be kept operational) has not only been proven to not be an effective measure in other communities but a huge waste of tax dollars. Many local politicians have expressed frustration with the current governance model and have requested change. The current governance model here in Niagara does not support an effective approach to the homelessness issue. Homelessness is an issue across Niagara and not just St. Catharines. Band aid solution carried out independently by various lower tier municipalities does little to effectively impact on this challenge. Niagara needs to come together as one and approach the province as a team to develop a solution.  #timeforchange

This week Prof Hal Pawson is featured in The Conversation Australia + NZ writing on recently publsihed findings from the Australian Homelessness Monitor 2024. The report reveals homelessness has surged beyond pre-pandemic levels, driven by soaring rents (up 51% since 2020) and a severe lack of affordable homes. Homelessness services are overwhelmed, with 76% struggling to find housing for clients and agency caseloads up 12% since 2019. While recent investments in social housing are welcome, they fall far short of long-term needs. Prof Pawson highlights that structural reform is essential to expand affordable housing and address poverty. #HousingCrisis #Homelessness #AffordableHousing Read the report here: https://lnkd.in/gCn-H5fa Register for this Thursday's event to hear from Hal Pawson, Andrew C. and Kate Colvin discussing the report findings: https://lnkd.in/gJ66eadJ https://lnkd.in/gkFb-y-E

https://lnkd.in/ehuCx-7c In this article it is noted homelessness issues cost Niagara Falls over $500,000 in 2023. Yet another example of our upper and lower tier governments here in Niagara not working effectively together on a very significant issue which has an enormous impact on our community.   Recently St. Catharines Mayor also noted that 3% of the St. Catharines budget is going to an issue which is outside of the cities mandate. Addressing homelessness effectively requires more than band aid solutions at the city level. It requires a comprehensive approach that integrates all levels of government and sectors with housing, mental health services, supportive services, and community support. Many local politicians have expressed frustration with the current governance model and have requested changes in order to better deal with issues which affect our entire region. The current governance model here in Niagara does not support an effective approach to the homelessness issue. As we move into 2025 budget deliberations taxpayers need to stand up and push for better use of our tax dollars. All municipal leaders need to push to eliminate the myriad of duplicated services that are being offered between the upper and lower tier governments which is costing taxpayers millions upon millions of dollars with little impact to our community. Niagara needs to ameliorate these duplicated programs and come together as one and approach the province as a team to develop solutions to these issues. #timeforchange

As the dust settles on this year’s federal budget, people have now had time to dissect the numbers and fully comprehend the decisions made and the priorities set. I want to focus on the new National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness with the states and territories. This agreement replaces the previous NHHA and has been signed for five years. The Treasurer announced on budget night that homelessness funding would be doubled, but failed to mention that this increase comes at the expense of social housing funding in the same agreement. The total amount of funding is almost the same, not including the Northern Territory, which has seen a significant increase, as it should, given the well-beyond-national trend line need. It is not clear what will be jeopardised most by this funding approach, but it could come at the expense of dollars for maintenance and repairs, which is obviously of great concern. It’s clear some of the other housing policies in the budget were used to show additional investment in housing as a reason for not increasing the funding in this agreement. However, this agreement has always been the crucial link between the two tiers of government, and not substantially increasing it in the face of escalating need over the next five years seems reckless to me. The other point of course is the forthcoming National Housing and Homelessness Plan, which the industry has still had no engagement on since December last year. What’s in the plan? What are its overriding objectives, does this agreement/investment adequately support those outcomes? What’s missing? We can’t answer any of these questions because we haven’t seen a copy of the Plan. Meanwhile, the deal was agreed to. I note there is a Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council meeting next week, and I’m sure the plan is likely to be on the table there. I hope the council also takes time to consider the response by the industry to the funding package as well. It’s inadequate for the size of the problem, in my view. The council should resolve to provide a draft copy of the Plan to the industry as quickly as possible. We should be working on this together. Australian Government Anthony Albanese Julie Collins https://lnkd.in/gduAkvGN #national #agreement #socialhousing #homelessness #federalbudget #bettertogether #homematters

🌟 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

As we reach the midpoint of Homelessness Week, it’s important to reflect on the alarming rise in homelessness, particularly among families and children. Recent data reveals the shocking extent of this crisis, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive action and support. According to Homelessness Australia, the number of families experiencing homelessness has reached unprecedented levels, with thousands of children affected. Despite some progress, more needs to be done. The Government's recent increase in funding for homelessness & housing is a positive step, but we must continue to advocate for long-term solutions and increased investment in social housing. At WCR, we are dedicated to supporting these efforts. By connecting skilled professionals with opportunities in the housing sector, we aim to contribute to meaningful and sustainable solutions to this crisis. Let’s use this week to raise awareness and take action. Together, we can make a difference and ensure every Australian has a safe place to call home. For more insights, read the full article from Homelessness Australia: https://lnkd.in/gxMqz-9T #HomelessnessWeek #EndHomelessness #SupportTheHomeless #CommunitySupport #AffordableHousing

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

On any given day, at least 35,000 people in NSW are homeless. But homelessness is solvable. And listening to and following the guidance of people with lived experiences of homelessness is critical to finding long-term solutions. StreetCare, the lived experience advisory group we support, is regularly sought out by government, housing providers and frontline agencies for that guidance. Over the past year, StreetCare has protected the rights of people who are homeless or needing housing support and made practical improvements in their lives, including by: - advising the ABS on how to better include people experiencing homelessness in the Census, - working with Homes NSW to highlight barriers to using specialist homelessness services and provide examples of good practice, - participating in the National Housing and Homelessness Plan Roundtable and consultation for the NSW Homelessness Strategy, - advising NSW Telco so people experiencing homelessness have better access to technology, and - informing the Commonwealth inquiry into the COVID-19 response. This Homelessness Week, we celebrate the success of StreetCare and urge decision-makers to remember that the best results are achieved when law and policy is created with people affected, rather than for them. Big thanks to all StreetCare members for their tenacious and courageous advocacy and for leading the way on addressing homelessness. Photo: StreetCare members prepare to tour the Macquarie St East precinct in the CBD to advise on redevelopment that protects the rights of rough sleepers.