Census homeless count: We know how to end homelessness

With the latest Census data on homelessness showing Victoria with one of the highest rates of homelessness in the country, Launch Housing says the problem is not insoluble, and there are approaches that are working.

The Census data found that women and First Nations Australians experienced higher increases in the rate of homelessness than the rest of the population, and that homelessness rates among young people remain persistently high.

Launch Housing CEO Bevan Warner said: “being on the front lines of the health crisis that is rough sleeping and homelessness, we know what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to ending homelessness.

“We know that more housing alone is not enough and that supported accommodation is required to address health needs which are often correlated with homelessness.

“And we know that hyper-local approaches work here and around the world, focusing on where homelessness occurs – which is increasingly the outer suburbs and regions.”

The Functional Zero* approach sees multiple agencies collaborate at a local level and work closely with people experiencing homelessness until one by one, everyone is housed.

Launch Housing is part of five such local Functional Zero projects across greater Melbourne where people who are rough sleepers are known by name, and agencies providing health, housing and other support services stay connected to them.

“Through this approach, we know how many people are actively homeless at any given time in the cities of Frankston, Dandenong, Melbourne, Port Phillip and Stonnington, and can track changes in their housing status.”

The Census, which counts people experiencing homelessness every five years, provides a valuable national snapshot. A strength of the local Functional Zero projects is real-time data on how many people are actively homeless and rough sleeping in a local area.

“Of course, investing in more affordable housing and addressing cost of living pressures is essential.

“But with more resources toward Functional Zero projects, we can work together at a local level toward zero homelessness.”

Launch Housing is powering the Melbourne Zero campaign to end rough sleeping across greater Melbourne.

* Functional Zero refers to local projects that are measured using the milestone that, when sustained, indicates a community has zero homelessness – in other words, any experiences of homelessness are rare, brief and non-recurring.

Media contact: Rebecca Nicholson – 0447 964 899