Media Releases
We engage actively with the media to raise public awareness, amplify the voices of people experiencing homelessness, and generate the cultural and social change needed to end homelessness.
05.08.24
Homelessness is a health emergency
Integrated health and homelessness systems save lives An Insights paper published today, on the first day of national Homelessness Week, urges for investment in integrated health and homelessness programs and services to end an avoidable homelessness and health crisis, and ease pressure on overburdened systems. Homelessness is a health emergency. People experiencing homelessness often have…
25.07.24
Breaking the cycle of homelessness
New data shows Melbourne areas with greatest need for Education First-solution to youth homelessness
On Thursday, 25 July 2024, Launch Housing released a prospectus showing the areas in Greater Melbourne most in need of an Education First Youth Foyer – a demonstrated solution to youth homelessness that keeps young people housed, supported and safe while they complete their education.</p
08.08.23
More than homes: a tale of 10 cities.
This new report should be seen as a wake-up call for Australian cities. If we’re not careful, we will end up with the entrenched homelessness problems that exists in cities around the world, which would be shocking. Homelessness around the world has common causes and the solutions are not just homes – but more…
22.03.23
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…
14.02.23
Melbourne Zero: people-powered movement to end homelessness in Melbourne.
Melbourne Zero: people-powered campaign to end rough sleeping in Melbourne. Melbourne can be a world leading city in ending street homelessness. That’s the message of Melbourne Zero, a new campaign to end rough sleeping powered by Launch Housing. Melbourne Zero is a movement of ordinary Melburnians, businesses, local government and community organisations all taking big…
05.12.22
National Homelessness Monitor 2022
Homelessness in Australia becomes more widespread according to national monitor Rising homelessness continues to outpace Australia's growing population, according to Launch Housing's Australian Homelessness Monitor released today. The study found the average monthly number of people using homelessness services increased by 8 per cent in the four years to 2021-22, double the national population increase…
17.10.22
The biggest issues facing Melbourne households
Cost of living, housing affordability and homelessness identified as the biggest issues facing Melbourne households A recent survey of 1,000 Melburnians has found cost of living, housing affordability and homelessness are considered the top three issues facing Melbourne right now. The research, conducted by homelessness organisation Launch Housing, also revealed over 90 percent of…
08.08.22
Australian-first housing for women and children opens its doors
Launch Housing, in partnership with Uniting Vic.Tas, generous donors and the Victorian Government, has welcomed its first families to their new home, Viv's Place, an Australian-first apartment building in Dandenong for at-risk women and children. The $30 million project was made possible by a group of generous philanthropic donors, who have funded over 40 percent…
01.08.22
The Cornelia Program Breaking The Cycle Of Homelessness For Women And Children
Just one year on, the Cornelia Program, an Australian-first initiative of the Royal Women's Hospital, Housing First and Launch Housing, is already making strides in breaking the cycle of homelessness for young families. Since August 2021, The program has supported 49 women and their babies with transitional accommodation in a new fit-for-purpose apartment complex located…
01.08.22
Neuron Mobility and Launch Housing unite for National Homelessness Week
Australia's leading e-scooter operator and Melbourne's largest Specialist Homelessness Organisation, Launch Housing are launching their partnership this National Homelessness Week (1 - 7 August) Neuron has committed free e-scooter passes for Launch Housing, increasing transport options for staff, supporting them to help more people in need across Melbourne Launch Housing and Neuron Mobility are encouraging…
02.06.22
Sale of St Kilda Rooming House
Launch Housing has made a difficult decision to sell its Princes Street rooming house so that it could build more social housing and is working closely with each of the eleven affected residents to find them appropriate alternative housing. Each resident has been allocated an expert and experienced case manager who is supporting them with…
13.05.22
Mothers and children given the chance to thrive in safe supported housing
Launch Housing in partnership with Uniting, donors and the Victorian Government is preparing to open the doors of Viv's Place, an Australian first apartment building for at-risk women and children. Based in Dandenong, Viv's Place will provide permanent housing with wrap around support services in a new building to provide a fresh start for more…
02.04.22
Cornelia Program launches in Melbourne
Pregnant women who are experiencing insecure housing now have a supportive pathway to safe accommodation, social services and compassionate health care, thanks to a Victorian Government funded collaboration between the Royal Women’s Hospital, HousingFirst and Launch Housing. The Cornelia Program aims to break the cycle of insecure housing for vulnerable women and their babies and…
10.03.22
58 New Homes For Melbourne's Inner North-East
Construction is about to start on a new social housing development in Bellfield that will result in 58 new homes under the Victorian Government's Big Housing Build. When completed, this four-storey development will provide housing for people on the priority access list of the Victorian Housing Register. The $24 million development is a partnership between…
13.12.21
Beats For Beds hits Melbourne for the first time
International music festival, Beats for Beds is hitting the recently re-opened streets of Melbourne for the first time on Friday 17 December to raise awareness and funds for people experiencing homelessness. Established in the UK in December 2020 as an online event, Beats for Beds has become an international movement, with musicians banding together to…
05.11.21
Emergency hotel accommodation extended until February 2022
Thousands of Victorians experiencing homelessness who have been staying in emergency hotel accommodation during the pandemic will have their stay extended, with an additional $66 million announced by the Victorian Government. But the storm is far from over, with the program set to permanently close in February, leaving many with extremely limited housing options. At…
13.09.21
Locals to benefit from fully funded Launch Bellfield Housing Development
Low to moderate income earners in the Bellfield/Heidelberg West community will be able to stay connected to their community with access to safe and affordable housing, now that the Victorian Government has given the green-light to help fund the $24M Bellfield Social Housing Project. Built on land owned by the City of Banyule, the Bellfield…
15.10.20
Nation at Risk of Homelessness Surge: National Monitor
Embargo: Monday, October 19 2020 Australia’s homelessness rate is set to surge as short-term coronavirus income and housing protections are ended, according to the second Australian Homelessness Monitor released today. Pre-pandemic, homelessness had climbed by 14 per cent – to around 290,000 Australians – in the four years to 2018-19. Launch Housing commissions the Monitor,…
03.08.20
Melburnians Agree Homelessness Could Happen To Anyone: Study
Embargoed: Tuesday, 4 August 2020 New research has revealed a high level of empathy for people experiencing homelessness with 76 percent of Melburnians agreeing ‘homelessness could happen to anyone’. Launch Housing Chief Executive Bevan Warner said the findings were encouraging because they also show that people want action to end homelessness. “We know we need…
27.07.20
Homes for Homeless: Very Positive Much Needed Relief
Launch Housing Chief Executive Bevan Warner today welcomed the Victorian Government’s new $150 million From Homelessness to a Home package. The funding will see the Government extend current emergency hotel and motel accommodation until April of next year, allowing 2,000 former rough sleepers to continue being supported by Launch Housing and other service providers. The…
18.03.20
Funding boost
Funding boost will help combat COVID19 in homeless sector Launch Housing welcomes special funding measures for the homeless sector. The Victorian Government is putting $6 million towards Victorian homelessness organisations to help protect Victorians at risk of or experiencing homelessness because of the COVID-19 virus. CEO Bevan Warner says the funding is being targeted to…
18.12.19
700+ requests for homelessness support go unmet each week in Vic
As extreme heat hits, new data shows more people sleeping rough. Victorian homelessness support services, like Launch Housing, are increasingly struggling to meet demand, as new data shows a staggering 700+ requests for help go unmet every week. The Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) figures released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)…
28.11.19
Secure housing vital for success of mental health programs
Launch Housing is disappointed to see no emphasis on the importance of secure housing for good mental health in the interim report recommendations, released by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System today. Launch Housing Chief Executive Bevan Warner said: “It’s disappointing to see no mention of housing or homelessness in the interim report’s…
22.11.19
Rise in homelessness ‘unacceptable and unforgivable’
Launch Housing experts demand action at homelessness inquiry today Launch Housing staff will give evidence at the Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness in Victoria today, and call out the lack of action on homelessness for what it is: unacceptable and unforgivable.At the first public hearing in Melbourne today, Launch Housing Chief Executive Bevan Warner will outline…
29.08.19
Libraries start new chapter to support vulnerable
The City of Melbourne will invest in a dedicated social worker to work in its libraries, as part of an Australian-first program to provide support services to at-risk people such as those experiencing homelessness. Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the full-time social worker would support vulnerable library users with complex needs. “We’ve found that more…
05.08.19
Govs urged to unlock unused land to help end homelessness
Govs urged to unlock unused land to help end homelessness First look at life-changing tiny homes Launch Housing is urging governments at all levels to unlock underutilised land for housing to help reduce the increasing rate of homelessness. To kick off Homelessness Week, the organisation has unveiled the first phase of its Harris Transportable Housing…
11.07.19
New campaign highlights the importance of a safe, stable home
Housing is good mental healthcare New campaign calls for mental health and housing systems to unite to better support vulnerable Victorians Launch Housing has launched a new campaign to highlight the importance of a safe, stable home for people experiencing a mental illness. To coincide with the Royal Commission into the Victorian Mental Health System,…
28.05.19
Launch Housing welcomes renewed funding
Launch Housing welcomes renewed funding for rental assistance program, but calls for more to address homelessness Launch Housing welcomes renewed funding for the life-changing Private Rental Assistance Program announced in the Victorian Budget yesterday. The Victorian Government has committed ongoing funding for the program for the next two years. Launch Housing CEO Bevan Warner said…
25.01.19
Royal Commission into Mental Health
Our submission to the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission into Mental Health highlights the critical importance of stable housing in the prevention and early intervention of mental health issues. Safe, secure and appropriate housing is a fundamental prerequisite to engaging in society and directly contributes to overall health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, we know…
23.08.18
Launch Housing congratulates inaugural Commissioner for Residential Tenancies
Launch Housing congratulates inaugural Commissioner for Residential Tenancies, Dr Heather Holst Launch Housing congratulates outgoing Acting CEO Dr Heather Holst on her appointment as Victoria’s first Commissioner for Residential Tenancies. Heather has served as Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Launch Housing since its inception in 2015. Heather came through to Launch Housing from HomeGround Services where she had been CEO for three years and General Manager…
30.07.18
New Launch Housing Chief Executive Announced
New Launch Housing Chief Executive Announced Launch Housing, one of Victoria’s largest providers of housing and homeless support services, has announced that current Managing Director of Victoria Legal Aid, Bevan Warner, will commence as its new Chief Executive Officer on 29 August 2018. Launch Housing Chair Neil Chatfield said: ‘We are delighted to announce Bevan’s…
04.07.18
StreetCount records 392 rough sleepers in inner Melbourne
The first joint survey of homelessness conducted by five Melbourne Councils has recorded 392 people sleeping rough across inner Melbourne. On Tuesday 19 June, more than 400 trained volunteers visited streets, parks and laneways to collect information on people sleeping rough in the 2018 StreetCount. It was the first joint count undertaken across the cities…
15.05.18
Australian first: new Homelessness Monitor
Australian first: new Homelessness Monitor holds the key to solving Australia’s homelessness crisis The first national longitudinal study of homelessness in Australia, The Australian Homelessness Monitor 2018, will be launched in Melbourne today. The Monitor tracks key data on rates and types of homelessness in Australia and sets a benchmark for action on Australia’s housing…
14.03.18
Homelessness Figures Reveal a National Crisis
Launch Housing calls on the Australian, state and territory governments to develop a national response to address the national homelessness crisis, following today’s release of the 2016 Census figures on homelessness by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The 2016 Census shows that the number of people experiencing homelessness in Australia on Census night has…
01.03.18
CEO, Tony Keenan announces decision to move to next challenge
1 March 2018 Statement from Neil Chatfield - Chair, Launch Housing After three years of leading Launch Housing Tony Keenan has decided to leave the role to pursue new opportunities and will leave the organisation on 25 May this year. Tony has been the driving force in our mission to end homelessness. In addition to…
13.02.18
Street Count shows 91 people sleeping rough in the City of Port Phillip
The first Street Count in the City of Port Phillip has recorded 91 people sleeping rough in the municipality. More than 100 trained volunteers canvassed areas across the City of Port Phillip on 7 February to count the number of people sleeping rough between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Additional counts were conducted later in…
15.01.18
Launch Housing Welcomes Victorian Government's Rough Sleeping Action Plan
Launch Housing applauds the Victorian Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan. Mr Tony Keenan, CEO of Launch Housing, said the long-term strategy is a solid start to reducing the incidence and impacts of rough sleeping in Victoria. “This long-term strategy to address rough sleeping in Victoria, with a further $45.5 million towards support and…
16.11.17
Returning empty homes to Melbourne’s rental market could be life changing
HomeGround Real Estate, a division of Launch Housing, is calling on owners of empty properties in the municipality to return 1,000 homes to the rental market. Despite the current housing affordability crisis, more than 7,000 homes in the City of Melbourne municipality remain empty according to City of Melbourne demographic data 2013*. Returning just 14…
26.09.17
Launch Housing Welcomes Confirmation of Homeless Operating Protocols
Launch Housing, Melbourne’s largest independent provider of homelessness services, welcomed today’s announcement by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and Chief Commissioner of Police Graham Ashton on new rough sleeping protocols. Mr Tony Keenan, CEO of Launch Housing, said the approach was in keeping with the history of how the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police have…
04.09.17
Many people experiencing homelessness will miss out on vote in upcoming postal survey
Launch Housing has expressed concern that many people who experience homelessness will not be able to take part in the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey. Launch Housing said that the short timeline has meant that the usual measures that are put in place to help people who are experiencing homelessness to enrol to vote did not take…
10.05.17
Launch Housing welcomes funding certainty for homelessness
Launch Housing CEO Tony Keenan has today welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s Budget announcements on homelessness and affordable housing. “In particular we are very pleased with the Government’s decision to ensure that funding for homelessness services is now ongoing and that it will be indexed to ensure growth. “Over recent years the homelessness sector has struggled…
02.05.17
State Government’s priority on family violence welcomed
Launch Housing congratulates the Victorian Government for their unprecedented commitment to addressing the tragedy of family violence, announced in today’s State Budget. “Family violence is the biggest single driver of family and child homelessness in this state, and we applaud the Victorian Government for their commitment to addressing its impacts on vulnerable families,” said Launch…
10.03.17
Federal Government’s renewed focus on affordable housing welcomed
Launch Housing has welcomed today’s announcement from the Federal Government regarding the establishment of a new Affordable Housing Implementation Taskforce, which will develop an affordable housing bond aggregator model for consideration by the Commonwealth and the States and Territories. “There are few issues more important than ensuring the welfare of all Australians than housing,” Launch…
06.03.17
Victorian Government’s vacancy tax applauded
Launch Housing has welcomed today’s announcement from the Victorian Government regarding the new vacancy tax on residential properties. The tax is among a suite of changes the government has announced to make housing more affordable, including the $1 billion Social Housing Growth Fund, and scrapping stamp duty for first home buyers. “We have been calling…
23.02.17
Funding announcement a game changer
Launch Housing has welcomed today’s announcement from the Victorian Government of funding to increase Victoria’s social housing supply and support the increased development of an affordable housing industry. “The suite of initiatives announced today, including the $1 billion Social Housing Growth Fund is the most significant long term commitment to addressing the housing crisis that…
10.02.17
Proposed funding cuts shock homelessness agencies
Launch Housing is deeply disturbed by reports today alleging sweeping funding cuts to crucial homelessness programs via the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA). “We note that at this stage the reports are speculation and have yet to be clarified by the Federal Government,” said Launch Housing CEO Tony Keenan. “Because of this, we have written…
11.01.17
A road map for affordable housing
Find out the latest information on the Harris Transportable Housing Project . In a first of a kind collaboration 57 new affordable one bedroom homes will be located on vacant land in Melbourne’s inner west, providing stable housing for people who have been priced out of the private rental market. The unique partnership between major…
07.12.16
An open letter to Malcolm Turnbull
6 December 2016 To: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull MP CC: Treasurer Scott Morrison MP CC: Minister for Social Services Christian Porter MP CC: Assistant Minister for Social Services Senator Zed Seselja Dear Prime Minister, The 209 undersigned organisations are seeking your urgent intervention to avert the human, economic and policy disaster that will occur if…
25.11.16
Launch Housing welcomes significant funding boost for housing and homelessness
Launch Housing CEO Tony Keenan today welcomed the Victorian Government’s investment into public housing renewal and private rental brokerage support saying ‘it was the most significant housing and homelessness package by the Victorian Government for low income earners for over a decade’. Including today’s announcement of $218m, the state Government has committed $616m into housing…
12.11.16
Homelessness funding a welcome boost for vulnerable Victorians
Launch Housing has welcomed the government’s announcement to inject $109 million into providing support and homelessness services to vulnerable Victorians, particularly broadening the reach outside central Melbourne. Launch Housing CEO, Tony Keenan said the announcement represents a comprehensive package that will allow for early action to prevent long term homelessness. “Increasing funding in middle and…
05.10.16
Infrastructure focus on housing sets the right foundations
Launch Housing has welcomed the focus on housing in Infrastructure Victoria’s plan released this week, saying it lays the right foundations to address housing affordability and homelessness. Launch Housing CEO, Tony Keenan said the announcement is the right response to declining rental affordability, long waiting lists for public housing, and increasing rates of homelessness. “We…
05.08.16
Housing blitz funds hit the ground – more housing for women and children at risk
Women and children fleeing family violence will have access to new affordable housing stock in Melbourne as a result of the release of Victorian Government’s Housing Blitz funds. Launch Housing has secured funding from the Victorian Government’s housing blitz tender to purchase 20 new dwellings and lease 27 rental properties to rapidly rehousing women and…
09.02.16
More affordable housing needed to stop rise in homelessness, study finds.
Launch Housing today released the results of a study into the geographic trends of homelessness in Australia revealing larger scale economic and demographic factors are key drivers of homelessness. Outlining the findings of the research, Launch Housing CEO Tony Keenan said “This research shows that where you are in Australia makes a huge difference to…
03.02.16
Better support needed to address family violence and homelessness
In responding to the report into family violence and homelessness by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare today, Chief Executive of Launch Housing, Tony Keenan said this adds to the growing base of existing research about the correlation between family violence and homelessness that urgently needs to be addressed. Read the media release.
01.12.15
Support needed after storm wrecks family homeless service
Overnight storms caused significant damage to Launch Housing’s Crisis Accommodation service in South Melbourne affecting seven families. All families have been relocated to temporary accommodation, but Launch Housing is calling on the public for their support to ensure homeless children can still attend the annual end of year party. Read the media release
