To support the implementation of strategies to prevent, reduce and end homelessness, state and territory governments should consider the following recommendations.
To date, only the Western Australian and South Australian Governments have committed to ending homelessness, which has required significant effort and leadership. In many other international jurisdictions, making such a commitment is less controversial and more focused on achieving the goal.
Establish and publicly document a whole-of-government strategy to end homelessness, including:
Ending homelessness is possible but requires sustained effort, leadership and specific skills.
Enhance sector capability by providing training and capacity-building initiatives that empower local communities to undertake the work needed to end homelessness, such as working collaboratively, using data to inform decision-making and applying trauma-informed and Housing First approaches.
Consider setting policies or issuing guidelines on engaging with and procuring support from collective impact initiatives to clarify how state government agencies can best support these collaborations. Current government processes are rarely equipped to support this new way of working.
Collective impact backbones are essential for ending homelessness as they enable cross-sector collaboration, establish quality data, support service coordination and provide comprehensive, coordinated and sustained efforts. Funding for this work is often ad hoc and insufficient.
Better utilise by-name list data by linking it with other service systems to inform all Advance to Zero work, particularly prevention efforts.
Support the establishment of hubs or the co-location of service coordination efforts, backbone activities and other system change efforts to enable cross-system collaboration and improved service coordination.
The Advance to Zero framework incorporates the Housing First approach, which connects people experiencing homelessness with long-term housing as quickly as possible without preconditions. Housing First programs are effective for people with long histories of homelessness, mental illness or addictions and can achieve housing stability with the right support.
Develop homelessness peer workforce strategies to increase the number of peer workers in the housing and homelessness sectors and support best practices.
Utilise significant investments in housing maintenance contracts by adding social procurement components to support employment opportunities for people who have experienced homelessness.
Review and invest in support needed to better integrate all health services (hospital, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, primary care) with efforts to end homelessness, ensuring resources address the health inequities faced by people experiencing homelessness.
Invest in the establishment of long-term managed alcohol models of supportive housing, including culturally appropriate models for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing homelessness and addiction.
Invest in the type of public, community and permanent supportive housing indicated by by-name list data as needed.
Use by-name list data to triage the allocation of scarce local housing based on vulnerability, suitability and local improvement priorities identified by Advance to Zero efforts.
Improve regulatory environments for Community Housing Providers to provide more flexibility in prioritising housing allocations based on vulnerability and collaboratively setting local improvement priorities.
Collaborate and invest more to prevent evictions, ensure healthier homes, address discrimination, and strengthen rights regarding pets, no-fault evictions and other issues for renters.
Review the impact of short-term rental providers like Airbnb and consider options to mitigate their negative impacts on housing affordability and homelessness in their jurisdictions.
The above insights are drawn from David Pearson’s Churchill Report, highlighting actionable steps for citizens, businesses, governments and philanthropy. Read the full report to discover in-depth recommendations for preventing, reducing and ending homelessness across various sectors in Australia.
Read the full report
