Victoria's Bold Plan to End Rough Sleeping

Victoria is set to significantly reduce street homelessness through an ambitious $27.8 million statewide expansion of its assertive outreach program. This initiative, pioneered in inner Melbourne, will deploy teams to actively find and engage with rough sleepers, building trust and connecting them directly to housing and support services rather than waiting for individuals to seek help.

The program's success is expected to be bolstered by new community housing projects and existing specialist services. Experts believe this bolstered outreach offers a viable blueprint to overcome rough sleeping, provided current building efforts are intensified. Assertive outreach involves support workers proactively engaging with individuals in the community.

A statewide by-name list will also be developed to profile every rough sleeper, prioritize those in greatest need, and funnel appropriate services through a single, trusted source. This approach has gained international recognition, with former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio highlighting its effectiveness. The COVID-19 pandemic also demonstrated Victoria's capacity to house the homeless during lockdowns when the issue was prioritized.

However, soaring rents and a lack of social housing have contributed to a rise in rough sleepers post-lockdown. Victoria consistently sees the highest number of people seeking specialist homeless services in Australia. While about 3% of Victorians experiencing homelessness sleep rough, many more transition through temporary or crisis accommodation.

The state's Big Housing Build includes a pipeline of 11,000 new social housing properties, a step towards the advocated 5% social housing rate. Facilities like Madden House in St Kilda, providing 26 self-contained units with on-site support, have already shown success in reducing rough sleeping in local areas.