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12.8

Homelessness Research Project

12.8

Homelessness Research Project

Directorate

Community Wellbeing

Director

Lynley Dumble

Manager

Rachel Deans

Attachment(s)

1. Homelessness Research Final Report [

12.8.1

- 60 pages]

2. Draft Implementation Plan [

12.8.2

- 3 pages]

Purpose

For decision

For noting

For Council to consider the key findings and recommendations of the Homelessness

Research Project Final Report, endorsing an Implementation Plan to guide the

implementation of the report’s recommendations, and writing to a range of key

stakeholders to share the report and seek support to implement recommendations.

COVID Statement

This report, and the analysis, conclusions and recommendations in this report are based

on conditions encountered and information reviewed at the date of preparation of this

report.

Federal and State advice, policy and regulatory settings in relation to the COVID-19

pandemic is being updated regularly and may change the underlying assumptions or

situational conditions upon which this report was drafted.

Legislation/Council Plan/Policy Context

This report supports the Council Plan 2017-2021 goal and strategic objective of:

1. An Inclusive Community

• People have opportunities to participate in community life.

Council officers contributing to the preparation and approval of this report, have no

conflicts of interests to declare.

Issue For Consideration

It is proposed that Council note the key findings and recommendations of the

Homelessness Research Project Final Report (Research Report). The Research Report

was commissioned by Council to build a local evidence base and to clarify Council’s role

in responding to homelessness in Brimbank.

The urgency of this work has increased due to the COVID-19 crisis and opportunities

now exist to align its implementation to Council’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response and

Recovery Strategy. An Implementation Plan has been prepared to guide the

implementation of the Research Report’s recommendations, which include a series of

‘response and recovery’ actions, to be followed by ‘medium to long term’ actions.

Background

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, homelessness occurs when a person

does not have suitable accommodation alternatives and their current living arrangement:



is in a dwelling that is inadequate;



has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or



does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for social relations.

Based on the 2016 Census of Population and Housing, Brimbank has the highest rate of

homelessness in Melbourne’s west. A total of 1,460 people were homeless in 2016 (an

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increase of 30 per cent since 2011), including 1,000 people who were living in ‘severely’

crowded dwellings. Due to data collection limitations, no-one was recorded as sleeping

rough in Brimbank as part of the 2016 Census.

In response to this issue, the Year 3 Council Plan Action Plan included an action to

‘Partner with the Social Justice Coalition and relevant agencies to undertake local

research into homelessness in Brimbank’. The research project aimed to address gaps in

our understanding of homelessness in Brimbank, and to clarify the role Council can play

to improve outcomes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The Research

Report is an attachment to this report

(Attachment 1)

.

The project was completed against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis. The crisis poses

specific health and economic impacts for people experiencing homelessness and

increases the need for an immediate response from all levels of government. Council’s

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response and Recovery Strategy will guide a whole-of-Council

response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a range of immediate responses to social

wellbeing and connection issues such as homelessness.

Consultation

A wide range of stakeholders were consulted as part of the project, including

homelessness service providers, people with lived experience of homelessness, the

Department of Health and Human Services, Council staff and Councillors.

The following key themes emerged from consultation:



There are several groups ‘at risk’ of homelessness in Brimbank, including women and

children experiencing family violence, older single women, young people in out of

home care, and larger families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.



Key social, economic and policy factors include limited employment and education

opportunities, gender inequality, rising housing costs, limited government investment

in social housing and insufficient levels of income support.



People experiencing homelessness face considerable challenges in accessing secure

housing and often have limited understanding of available Council services.

There will be ongoing consultation with stakeholders in the implementation and

monitoring of the Implementation Plan.

Analysis

Key findings

Following analysis of all data and information collected through desktop research and

consultation activities, the Report reached the following key findings:



Brimbank has the highest incidence of homelessness in Melbourne’s west, and the

largest number of people accessing specialist homelessness services in Victoria.



There is a lack of local data on rough sleeping in Brimbank, which means that

support services for the municipality are unlikely to receive adequate resources from

state and federal government.



The specialist homelessness service system is significantly overstretched in Brimbank

and the western region.



A lack of locally-based emergency accommodation has increased reliance on hotels

and rooming houses, and is likely to lead to an increase in homelessness and rough

sleeping.



Families in overcrowded dwellings experience increased social, economic and health

risks, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.



Many Council services engage with people experiencing homelessness, highlighting

the need and benefits of an integrated, flexible and coordinated whole-of-Council

approach.

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

There are significant benefits in working with other councils, given that homelessness

extends beyond municipal boundaries and many government-funded services operate

on a regional basis.

Council’s role

The Research Report identified a range of best practice examples to illustrate the

different roles that Council can play in responding to the local experience of

homelessness. These include partnerships, coordination, information provision, research,

policy development, infrastructure provision, awareness raising and, in some cases,

limited funding. Councils do not typically engage in direct homelessness service

provision, as federal and state governments are responsible for funding the specialist

homelessness service system.

Through the Implementation Plan, Council will primarily focus on its capacity to ‘lead and

represent’ and ‘partner and advocate’. There will also be some opportunities for Council

to contribute via its ‘fund and resource’ and ‘provide services’ roles, although these will

be focussed primarily on ‘in kind’ contributions and capacity building activities.

Additionally, Council also has a related ‘plan and regulate’ role with respect to the supply

of social and affordable housing.

Implementation Plan

The COVID-19 crisis has heightened many of the issues highlighted in the Research

Report’s key findings. For example, people living in overcrowded dwellings are at

increased risk, and there is now additional strain on the specialist homelessness service

provider system. People experiencing homelessness are also expected to face

considerable challenges in the medium to long term, particularly as the community

recovers from the COVID-19 crisis.

Through the Implementation Plan

(Attachment 2)

, it is proposed to align the

implementation of the Research Report’s recommendations to Council’s Coronavirus

(COVID-19) Response and Recovery Strategy. Council will initially implement a series of

‘response and recovery’ actions, to be followed by ‘medium to long term’ actions.

‘Response and recovery’ actions align strongly with actions within the Coronavirus

(COVID-19) Response and Recovery Strategy; particularly those that focus on

developing a social wellbeing connection response, co-ordinating engagement with key

service providers to understand the impact of COVID-19, and advocating for improved

health and wellbeing support. The Implementation Plan is underpinned by several

‘ongoing’ actions focussed on advocacy and community awareness.

Implementation of 'response and recovery’ actions will be achieved within 2020-21,

while the ‘medium to long term’ actions will be achieved within 2021-22 and subsequent

years. It is proposed that a progress report on the status of ‘response and recovery’

actions be presented to Council in the second half of 2021.

Finally, the Implementation Plan represents a broad ‘statement of commitment’ from

Council to support people experiencing homelessness in Brimbank, as recommended in

the Research Report. It takes account of the various roles that Council can play and aims

to contribute to a more integrated, flexible and coordinated approach to preventing and

responding to homelessness in Brimbank.

Resource And Risk Implications

Some actions within the Implementation Plan will require additional resources. These will

be referred to the annual budget process for consideration, as required.

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Community:

potential impact on community, including public trust and customer

service impact

• Yes - implementation of initiatives will contribute to increased community awareness of

homelessness, while front-line Council staff will be supported to engage effectively with

people experiencing homelessness.

Regulatory:

legal, legislative or regulatory implications including the rights/obligations

of stakeholders

• Yes - implementation of initiatives will be consistent with Council’s responsibilities

under various legislation, including the

,

,

and Brimbank City Council’s General Local Law

2018.

Safety

: health, safety or duty of care impacts

• Yes - implementation of initiatives will contribute to improved health and safety

outcomes for residents and Council staff, while also clarifying Council protocols for

engaging with people experiencing homelessness.

There are no Environmental or Financial risks identified.

Officer Recommendation

That Council:

a. Notes the key findings and recommendations of the Homelessness Research

Project Final Report, at Attachment 1 to this report.

b. Endorses the Implementation Plan, at Attachment 2 to this report.

c. Writes to the Federal and State Housing Ministers and local MPs to share the

Research Report’s key findings and recommendations, and advocate on key

issues such as improved data collection on rough sleeping, and increased

funding for social housing as part of any future COVID-19 stimulus

packages.

d. Write to state peak bodies (Victorian Council of Social Service, Council to

Homeless Persons) and the Department of Health and Human Services to

share the Research Report’s key findings and recommendations, and

highlight future joint advocacy activities.

e. Monitor the outcomes of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness to

ensure they are aligned and inform actions within the Implementation Plan.

f. Notes that the global, Federal and State response to the COVID-19 pandemic

may change the conditions encountered and information reviewed at the

date of the preparation of this report.

g. Authorises officers to redirect resources in order to give effect to the

recommendations in this report if any such redirection is reasonably

required as a result of a change caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in

accordance with any delegations made by Council in effect at the time.

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Brimbank City Council

Homelessness Research Project

From At Risk to At Home

PREPARED BY CHRIS BLACK

BLACK INK WRITING & CONSULTING

APRIL 2020

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

CONTENTS

1. Executive Summary

3

2. Background and objectives

6

3. Methodology

8

4. Data on homelessness in Australia and Victoria

9

5. Understanding homelessness in Brimbank

12

12

13

Overcrowding in Brimbank

15

Rough sleeping in Brimbank

16

19

23

Statewide response

23

Local/Western Region response

23

24

Populations most at risk of homelessness

25

Correlation between risks and causal factors

26

6. The role of Commonwealth and State governments in addressing homelessness 28

28

29

31

7. The role of local government in addressing homelessness

33

33

34

36

37

8. Consultation findings

40

40

43

44

9. Key findings

45

10. Recommendations

47

11. References

49

12. Appendices

53

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 1

Voices of people currently experiencing

homelessness in Brimbank

“Provide more assistance to the homeless and provide affordable housing.”

“I have 4 kids, one of them with ADHD. All of us are living in a tiny

apartment now, sleeping anywhere on the floor or on some

mattress. Having to move out every year is taking a toll on my kids’

and my own mental health. We are in desperate need of help to get

a permanent roof.”

“I would ask them for suggestions on how to improve my situation.

At this point, I’ll take anything.”

“(We need) more youth refuges, more support for youth in the

area as most are located in the city (Melbourne)”

“I would ask him or her if they can help me in affordable long-term housing, so we can

settle down and the children won’t ask me ‘where are we going next mummy?’. I would

like things to be safe and settled for my children so they can have friends and know they

are in a house that they can stay in for a long time.”

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 2

Definitions

The following definitions are provided to clarify the use of key terms throughout this report.

Affordable Housing

For the purposes of the

, affordable housing is housing,

including social housing, that is appropriate for the housing needs of any of the following:



very low income households



low income households



moderate income house households.

Homelessness

According to the definition used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2018), a person is

counted as homeless when they don’t have suitable alternatives and their current living

arrangement:



is in a dwelling that is inadequate; or



has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or



does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for, social relations.

Housing Stress

According to the definition used by NATSEM (National Centre for Social and Economic

Modelling), housing stress occurs when households in the lowest 40% of incomes pay more

than 30% of their usual gross weekly income on housing costs (.id).

Inclusionary Zoning

Inclusionary zoning is a land use planning intervention by government that either mandates or

creates incentives so that a proportion of a residential development includes a number of

affordable housing dwellings (AHURI, 2017).

Marginal Housing

Marginal housing is housing which is not adequate for reasons such as having no security of

tenure, or the dwelling may be overcrowded, or it does not meet 'minimum expectations', e.g.

it does not have basic facilities or adequate facilities (ABS, 2011).

Severely Crowded Dwellings

A dwelling is defined by the ABS to be severely crowded if the usual residents need four or

more extra bedrooms to accommodate them adequately (ABS, 2017).

Social Housing

Social housing is made up of two types of housing:



is long-term rental housing managed by the Victorian Government for

people on low incomes that are most in need, especially those who have recently

experienced homelessness, family violence or have other special needs.



is secure, affordable, long term rental housing managed by not-for

profit organisations for people on low incomes or with special needs (DHHS).

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 3

1. Executive Summary

This project was initiated by Brimbank City Council in acknowledgement that homelessness is a

significant and growing concern within the municipality. Through its role as the level of

government closest to the community, Council sees the direct and often tragic impact of

homelessness on individuals and families.

While home ownership, employment and education/training rates are relatively high in some

parts of the municipality, Brimbank also has pockets of deep disadvantage. Higher rates of

unemployment exist alongside lower levels of income and educational attainment, compared

to Greater Melbourne and Victoria. It is in these pockets of disadvantage where factors such as

poverty, housing stress, poor mental and physical health, family violence and relationship

breakdown put households at greater risk of homelessness.

These statistics highlight the need for an immediate response to homelessness in Brimbank.

While homelessness can happen to anyone, research tells us that those without an existing

safety net of financial resources or personal/family support are much more likely to be affected

and find it more difficult to rebuild their lives. In identifying the need for an immediate

response, it is recognised that Brimbank has:



high rates of housing stress (including rental stress) and a significant decrease since

2008 in affordable private rental properties



minimal growth in the provision of public or community housing over the past five

years, along with long waiting lists of households already assessed as eligible



an overwhelmed homelessness service system with limited capacity to meet growing

demand



a shortage in available emergency or crisis supported accommodation across the region.

Through further desktop research, consultation with homelessness service providers and

Council staff, and direct interviews with people with a lived experience of homelessness, this

project has revealed further insights into the situation in Brimbank and across surrounding

municipalities. The key findings of this report are as follows:



Brimbank has the highest incidence of homelessness in Melbourne’s west, and the

largest number of people accessing specialist homelessness services in Victoria.



There is a lack of local data on rough sleeping in Brimbank, which means that support

services for the municipality are unlikely to receive adequate resources from state and

federal government.



The specialist homelessness service system is significantly overstretched in Brimbank

and the western region.



A lack of locally-based emergency accommodation has increased reliance on hotels and

rooming houses, and is likely to lead to an increase in homelessness and rough sleeping.



Families in overcrowded dwellings experience increased social, economic and health

risks, which are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 4



Many Council services engage with people experiencing homelessness, highlighting the

need and benefits of an integrated and coordinated whole-of-Council approach.



There are significant benefits in working with other councils, given that homelessness

extends beyond municipal boundaries and many government-funded services operate

on a regional basis.



There are a range of best practice examples that Council can draw upon to respond in a

planned and coordinated way to the local experience of homelessness.

Further detail is provided on key findings in Section 9.

Key recommendations arising from this report (see Table 1) are organised in terms of short

term initiatives and medium-long term initiatives to allow Council to respond to the most

immediate needs first, and then the more difficult and entrenched issues over the longer term.

These may also be aligned to Council’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and subsequent

recovery strategies.

Recommendations – Short Term

Recommendations – Medium-Long Term

1 Develop an

implementation plan

to guide

actions over the next three to five years in

response to the recommendations arising

from this report. Council should also consider

endorsing a

Statement of Commitment

to

show leadership and outline its ongoing

commitment in responding to homelessness.

Both the implementation plan and Statement

of Commitment would be most effectively

achieved through engagement with all

relevant stakeholders including the

Department of Health and Human Services,

the Western Homelessness Network,

specialist homelessness services, other health

and community services, businesses and

community groups.

2 - Establish a

Council protocol

on responding

to people experiencing homelessness to

provide a more consistent response across all

Council services and support all Council staff

in understanding how to best respond in a

respectful manner.

3 - Develop a module of

Homelessness

Training

for Council staff and local business

to deliver improved understanding of

homelessness across all parts of the

organisation and the local community.

8 - Develop

improved data on the incidence

of rough sleeping

in the municipality by:



actively contributing to planning

activities for the 2021 ABS Census of

Population and Housing



participating in the biannual

StreetCount with Inner Melbourne

Action Plan (IMAP) Councils

9 - Investigate

expanding the use of current

and future Council facilities

for people

experiencing homelessness, including making

existing infrastructure more welcoming and

accessible to vulnerable members of the

community, and promoting social inclusion

through better use of existing resources that

may be underutilised after hours/weekends.

10 - Investigate

enhanced early intervention

through Council services for children and

young people

that responds directly to the

local profile of high numbers of people in

overcrowded and severely overcrowded

dwellings

11 - Advocate for further

research on

overcrowded dwellings

within the local

community, particularly in light of the impact

of COVID-19. To date, there has been minimal

research or evidence produced at the local

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 5

4 - Develop an

online and printable resource

for people in need

with information about

local services and support available, including

emergency relief, material aid, food services

and mainstream supports, alongside clear

information on specialist homelessness

services access points.

5 – Deliver and support

advocacy activities to

reduce the incidence and impact of

homelessness in Brimbank

by focussing on a

range of issues such as additional emergency

accommodation options, improved income

support, better protection for rental tenants,

and extended out-of-home care.

6 - Raise

community awareness about

homelessness

, including prevalence, causal

factors and existing responses available.

Investigate ways of educating local

businesses and community organisations

about best practice ways to respond to

homelessness.

7 - Engage with State Government and local

community housing providers to

investigate

ways of increasing the supply of social and

affordable housing

, including through

partnerships and advocacy for increased

government funding to significantly increase

supply.

level (or even statewide or nationally) about

appropriate responses to overcrowding.

Potentially partner with other western region

councils who are dealing with severe

overcrowding issues to investigate

similarities/differences and appropriate

localised responses.

12 - Investigate and prioritise

measures

within Council’s powers to increase the

supply of affordable housing

in Brimbank,

including advocacy, research, policy

development, and partnerships with key

stakeholders.

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 6

2. Background and objectives

This project was established by Council in October 2019 to investigate key issues relating to

homelessness across the municipality, and to inform potential Council strategy development

and action.

The objective of the project was to answer the following questions:



What is the

incidence, prevalence and experience

of people living in

crowded and

overcrowded dwellings

(tertiary homelessness) and of

people sleeping rough

(primary

homelessness)?



What are the

demographic characteristics

of people experiencing or at risk of

homelessness?



Which

populations are most at risk of homelessness

, and what are their housing

needs?



How do the

identified risk factors cause or correlate

with each other?



What are the

demographic characteristics, needs and outcomes for people who do not

receive housing support

, either because they do not seek support, or their support

needs are not able to be met by services?

The purpose is to identify the possible roles Council could play to improve outcomes for people

experiencing or at risk of homelessness, in conjunction with other relevant stakeholders (such

as State and Federal Government, local homelessness service providers, and other health and

community services).

Since this project was conceived, the Victorian Parliament announced a new Inquiry into

Homelessness seeking submissions from organisations across the State (including local

governments). Brimbank Council made a submission outlining the key issues from the

municipality (Brimbank City Council 2020) in relation to the Committee’s broad terms of

reference, which were:

The initial closing date for submissions has been extended and the Committee is now due to

present their report to Parliament in November 2020.

In addition, it was expected that the State Government would be making additional

commitments to addressing homelessness in the May 2020 budget but that has now been

extended to October 2020.

Finally, Council has indicated an interest in developing a separate ‘Social and Affordable

Housing Position Statement’ to identify the most appropriate responses to a shortfall of

affordable housing in the municipality. This will have strong linkages with any homelessness

initiatives developed and should be integrated to ensure that the best outcomes are achieved

for the most vulnerable members of the local community.

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 7

Additional considerations in relation to Coronavirus impacts

With the tragic outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, it is predicted by many

experts that there will be a significant downturn in the economy, with signs that those already in

vulnerable circumstances are likely to be hardest hit. Through higher levels of unemployment,

housing stress will increase and those already impacted by family violence, mental illness,

relationship problems, chronic health issues and substance abuse will be impacted even more.

Despite a state government-sanctioned moratorium on private rental evictions, it is as yet

unknown how many more people will be forced into homelessness. However, what we do know

is that the service system is already overwhelmed and unable to meet demand both in Brimbank

and more broadly across Victoria. In this context, this report should be read in light of the

expected additional burdens likely to be placed on the specialist service system and other

service systems over the next 6 to 12 months, including:

- greater demand for services, including assistance to maintain existing housing and find

alternative accommodation (both short term and long term)

- expected increase in all forms of homelessness, including rough sleeping and severe

overcrowding

- higher levels of unemployment and income insecurity

- higher rates of family violence requiring additional emergency accommodation, police

intervention and child protection.

This report should inform Council’s immediate response to the COVID-19 crisis, as well as

activities to support medium to long term recovery. Some of these could be implemented

through Council’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response and Recovery Strategy, which was adopted

by Council on 6 April 2020.

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 8

3. Methodology

To address the questions raised in the project brief, the following methodology was developed

and undertaken to ensure collection of a broad range of inputs and insights:

1 – Undertook desktop research of recent data collections and academic research, e.g.

ABS and government data, initiatives from other Victorian councils.

2 – Delivered multiple stakeholder consultation activities, including:



Brimbank Homelessness Forum with Councillors, Council staff and key local

agencies/stakeholders (2 December 2019)



Staff Workshop (18 December 2019)



Interviews with key staff from selected stakeholders (Jan – Feb 2020):

- Salvation Army Specialist Homelessness Service (SASHS) Sunshine

- Western Homelessness Networker, Sarah Langmore

- Frontyard (Melbourne City Mission), Wayne Merritt

- Department of Health and Human Services, Brimbank/Melton Office,

Sunshine

- Key Council staff



Interviews with people with a lived experience of homelessness (Feb-March

2020) - conducted by members of the Peer Education Support Program, run

by the Council to Homeless Persons



Brimbank Council Portfolio Meeting (16 March).

3 – Reviewed and analysed all data and information collected from desktop research

and consultation activities.

4 – Developed key recommendations and tested with staff via an online workshop (25

March).

5 – Prepared draft report for Council review/feedback.

6 – Based on feedback, prepare final report for presentation to Council.

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 9

4. Data on homelessness in Australia and Victoria

There are numerous ways of defining and enumerating homelessness in Australia (and

internationally). The most commonly used definition is that developed by the Australian Bureau

of Statistics (ABS) for the purpose of its five yearly Census. Under this definition, a person is

counted as homeless when they don’t have suitable alternatives and their current living

arrangement:



is in a dwelling that is inadequate; or



has no tenure, or if their initial tenure is short and not extendable; or



does not allow them to have control of, and access to space for, social relations

(ABS 2018).

Under this definition for homelessness, there are six homeless operational groups that allow

people to be identified on the basis of their actual living arrangement. These are:



living in improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out (often labelled ‘sleeping rough’)



supported accommodation for the homeless (including crisis supported

accommodation, refuges and emergency accommodation provided in motels)



staying temporarily with other households (including the common term used by

younger people of ‘couch surfing’)



living in boarding or rooming houses, where there are shared bathroom and kitchen

facilities and often minimal or no shared living areas)



other temporary lodging



living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings.

In addition to the definitions used by the ABS, there is a widely used ‘cultural definition’ of

homelessness, that uses the primary/secondary/tertiary typology to explain homelessness in a

spatial context (Johnson and Chamberlain 2015):



Primary homelessness refers to people living on the streets, sleeping in parks, or

squatting in derelict buildings for temporary shelter.



Secondary homelessness includes people in emergency accommodation (refuges,

hostels etc.) and people staying temporarily with other households because they have

no accommodation of their own.



Tertiary homelessness covers people living in boarding houses on a long or short term

basis, as well as marginal residents of caravan parks.

To put the incidence, prevalence and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness in

Brimbank in perspective, Table 2 details some of the key homelessness estimates from the

2016 Census for Australia and Victoria (based on ABS Catalogue 2049.0 summaries and data

cubes for 2011 and 2016).

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Attachment 12.8.1

From At Risk to At Home – FINAL Report

Page | 10

Measure

Australia

Victoria

Total number of

homeless

116,427 people enumerated in the Census who

are classified as being homeless on Census

night, up from 102,439 persons in 2011

(14%

increase between 2011 and 2016)

Nearly 25,000 Victorians are experiencing

homelessness on any given night, an

increase

of 43% between 2006 and 2016

Homeless rate

per 10,000

persons

The homeless rate was

50 persons for every

10,000

persons enumerated in the 2016 Census,

up from the 48 persons in 2011 and 45 persons

in 2006

The homeless rate was

42 persons

for every

10,000 persons enumerated in the 2016

Census, virtually unchanged from 2011 and

up from 35 persons in 2006

Severely

overcrowded

dwellings

Most of the increase in homelessness between

2011 and 2016 was reflected in persons living in

‘severely’ crowded dwellings (i.e. requiring four

or more extra bedrooms), up from 41,370 in

2011 to 51,088 in 2016

(23% increase)

Similarly, the greatest increase was for those

persons in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings (i.e.

requiring four or more extra bedrooms), up

from 6,025 in 2011 to 8,930 in 2016 (

48%

increase

).

Supported

accommodation

The number of people spending Census night in

supported accommodation in 2016 was 21,235,

almost unchanged since 2011 (21,258 persons)

The number of people spending Census night

in supported accommodation in 2016 was

7,196,

a 9% decrease

since 2011, when 7,844

persons were counted in this category.

Sleeping rough The number of homeless persons living in

improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out in

2016 was 8,200, up from 6,810 in 2011

(20%

increase)

The number of homeless persons living in

improvised dwellings, tents or sleeping out in

2016 was 1,241, up from 1,091 in 2011 (

14%

increase)

People who were born overseas and arrived in

Australia in the last 5 years accounted for 15%

(17,749 persons) of all persons who were

homeless on Census night in 2016

Born overseas

In Victoria,

58%

of people counted as

homeless were born overseas

Aboriginal and

Torres Strait

Islanders

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are

over-represented in the homeless population,

comprising 25% of the national homeless

population but only 3% of the Australian

population.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

comprise 3.2% of people experiencing

homelessness in Victoria, despite making up

less than 1% of the Victorian population.

Young people

(aged 12 to 24

years)

In 2016, young people made up:

- 32% of total homeless persons living in

‘severely’ crowded dwellings

- 23% of persons in supported

accommodation for the homeless

In 2016, young people made up:

- 35% of total homeless persons living

in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings

- 23% of persons in supported

accommodation for the homeless

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16% of persons staying temporarily in other

households

17.5% of persons staying temporarily in other

households

Marginal

housing

Between 2011 and 2016, people living in ‘other

crowded dwellings (i.e. requiring three extra

bedrooms) increased by 33% to 80,877 in 2016,

while the number of people marginally housed

in caravan parks fell by 18% to 10,685 persons.

Between 2011 and 2016, people living in

‘other crowded dwellings’ (i.e. requiring

three extra bedrooms) rose by 45% to

19,780, while the number of people

marginally housed in caravan parks fell by

27%.

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5. Understanding homelessness in Brimbank

It is widely acknowledged that homelessness is a complex social problem, arising from many

interconnected structural, economic and individual factors. Over the past two decades as the

issue of homelessness has become more visible there has been a lot more interest in Australia

and internationally in working out how to understand, measure and respond to homelessness.

The data collected has become increasingly available at a local government level, so we now

have a more detailed understanding of the incidence, prevalence and varied experience of

homelessness by different cohorts in the community.

The key data sources used to inform this report include:



ABS Census Data

(collected every five years) – since 2001, this has included an estimate

of the prevalence of homelessness, and the characteristics and living arrangements of

those likely to be homeless. It is acknowledged that certain groups are very difficult to

enumerate in this manner including homeless youth, people displaced due to family

violence, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.



Specialist Homelessness Services Data Collection

– this data has been collected

annually since 2011 from funded services. It is based on the number and characteristics

of people asking for assistance, and those able to be assisted with a range of services

including accommodation, support, referral to other services such as financial

counselling, mental health, family violence, alcohol and other drugs, etc. In Victoria, this

included 569 agencies supporting almost 23,000 clients on any given day including 6,100

children in families and almost 3,400 young people presenting alone (AIHW 2019).



Report on Government Services

– this data is published annually by the Productivity

Commission and has a dedicated chapter that provides an overview of the operations

and performance of specialist homelessness services nationally, including the client

characteristics and identified needs across each jurisdiction. Some of the key measures

it reports on are the ‘unmet demand’ for services, which outlines what was needed but

unable to be provided, the services provided, client satisfaction levels, efficiency (like

cost of support per day), and the outcomes achieved (Productivity Commission 2019).

However, none of these data sources can tell us the whole story. Statistical difficulties in

identifying people who are homeless, including those who for many reasons do not want to be

identified as such, mean that it remains a population that is very difficult to accurately

enumerate and understand. For example, the most recent Census (2016) undertaken by the

Australian Bureau of Statistics records that there was not a single person sleeping rough or in

improvised dwellings across the whole of Brimbank on census night. Based on extrapolations

from statewide data, as well as direct observations and interventions from Council staff and

specialist homelessness services in the region, this is almost certainly inaccurate, and more

likely based on limitations in the data collection process. However, this is the ‘official count’

that is used by State and Federal governments to inform funding and resource allocation.

Similarly, the data collection about clients in the homelessness service system is often relied on

as a measure of demand for services, however we know that this only represents those people

who are in contact with the service system and almost certainly an undercount of true need

within the community. It is estimated that up to 40% of people experiencing homelessness do

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not use homelessness services at all and that around two thirds of people experiencing

homelessness had not used homelessness services in their most recent episode of

homelessness (ABS 2014). In addition, many of those who are long term homeless do not

maintain contact with the service system, and many others who do not identify their situation

as being ‘homeless’ (such as those ‘couch surfing’ or staying with family or friends).

In 2018-19, the City of Brimbank recorded the

largest number

of people in Victoria accessing

specialist homelessness services (5,033), well above those recorded in the City of Melbourne

(2,948) or City of Port Phillip (2,931) (AIHW 2019). While this clearly indicates Brimbank has

high demand for homelessness services, it must also be understood in terms of the historical

distribution of funding resulting in a large number of services in the Brimbank area, and that as

an accessible hub for the Western region there are likely to be people accessing services in

Brimbank when they may in fact live in surrounding LGAs.

Other key sources of information about homelessness come from academic and service-based

research projects. The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) has a

significant stream of research on homelessness, and RMIT University has recently established

Australia’s first professor of homelessness (Professor Guy Johnson) as head of the Unison

Housing Research Lab – an initiative specifically established to better understand homelessness

from the perspective of service providers and service users.

The Northern and Western Homelessness Networks – representing the specialist homelessness

services and associated service providers in these two DHS regions – have also undertaken a

number of research projects in recent years, including a series of papers investigating the

significant shortfall of crisis accommodation available in the region. The report ‘

’ has led

to a recent boycott (starting in March 2020) of very poor quality private rooming houses that

had become, through lack of alternatives, the only source of emergency accommodation in the

region. These sector-led research projects have increasingly become an important source of

information about homelessness, as part of their advocacy efforts to State and Federal

agencies.

Brimbank continues to have the

highest incidence of homelessness and marginal housing

in

Melbourne’s west (ABS 2018). Acknowledging the limitations of the data on homelessness as

outlined above, the 2016 Census identified 1,460 people experiencing homelessness, and a

further 1,962 living in marginal housing (see Table 3). This represents increases of 30 and 56 per

cent respectively since the 2011 Census. Of those experiencing homelessness in Brimbank, 1 in

3 were aged between 12-24 years, higher than the national rate of 1 in 4.

Homeless operational groups by place of enumeration

2011

2016 Change

Persons living in improvised dwellings, tents, or sleeping out

14

0

-14

Persons in supported accommodation for the homeless

293

313

+20

Persons staying temporarily with other households

91

95

+4

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Persons living in boarding houses

42

52

+10

Persons in other temporary lodgings

0

0

0

Persons living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings

678

1000

+322 (+47%)

All homeless persons

1120

1460

+340 (+30%)

Persons living in other crowded dwellings

1248

1948

+700 (+56%)

Persons in other improvised dwellings

3

0

-3

Persons who are marginally housed in caravan parks

11

14

+3

All persons in marginal housing

1262

1962

+700 (+55%)

A more detailed breakdown of the Census data across suburbs from 2011 and 2016 is provided

in Table 4. It reveals that the areas most impacted are St Albans North, St Albans South,

Sunshine West and Deer Park-Derrimut. Delahey showed the greatest proportional increase

(from 3 to 49 persons) but off a very low base. Given that these figures are dominated by

people living in ‘severely overcrowded dwellings’ it should be noted that this is a more hidden

form of homelessness and therefore not correlating with those areas typically associated with

rough sleeping or marginal housing such as rooming houses.

Suburb

2011 2016

Change

Ardeer – Albion

69

115

+46 (+66%)

Cairnlea

64

72

+12 (+12.5%)

Deer Park – Derrimut

103

181

+78 (+76%)

Delahey

3

49

+46 (163%)

Keilor Downs

50

32

-18

Kings Park

109

101

-8

St Albans North

173

228

+55 (+32%)

St Albans South

102

192

+90 (+88%)

Sunshine

169

104

-65

Sunshine North

98

119

+21 (+21%)

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Sunshine West

126

218

+92 (+75%)

Sydenham

29

28

-1

Taylors Lakes

16

24

+8 (+50%)

TOTAL

1120 1460

+340 (+30%)

Overcrowding in Brimbank

Based on the 2016 Census, over two-thirds of people experiencing homelessness in Brimbank

are living in severely overcrowded dwellings. This represented a 47% increase since the last

census and is in line with the rest of Victoria which recorded a 48% increase in this category.

This identifies people in ‘severely crowded dwellings’ representing the vast majority (two

thirds) of those in the homeless population, and 99% of those in marginal housing. It also

shows that both of these groups have grown significantly in the five years since the previous

census.

The definition of ‘severely crowded dwellings’ refers to living situations which are not of an

adequate size to meet the needs of the household – based on the definition that the household

is in need of

to accommodate the people normally living in the

household and where occupants are considered not to have control of or access to space for

social relations (AHURI 2018).

Those counted as living in ‘other crowded dwellings’ are also considered to be at high risk of

homelessness, and may in many cases be experiencing the same negative effects of chronic lack

of sleep, fatigue and stress, increased risk of the spread of communicable diseases and other

impacts experienced by those formally registered in the homeless category (Herath and Bentley

2017). Given that they need an additional ‘three bedrooms’ to accommodate those living in the

dwelling, there is in practical terms often little difference between these households and those

counted as ‘homeless’ due to severe overcrowding. These groups are typically representative of

families, either single families or multiple families sharing a dwelling, and found to be much

more prevalent in low socioeconomic areas, where there are large numbers of refugee and

migrant populations, amongst Indigenous Australians and students (either local or

international) (Herath and Bentley 2017).

In Brimbank, overcrowding is most likely linked to

three key factors

:



Limited housing affordability

:

- 31.6 per cent of Brimbank households were in housing stress in 2016 – notably

higher than the Greater Melbourne, Western Region and Victorian averages.

- more than one-third of households in Albion (41.1%) and Sunshine (37.1%) live in

rented dwellings, well above the Greater Melbourne average of 28.8 per cent.

- only 11.5 per cent of private rentals were assessed as affordable by the

Department of Health and Human Services, compared to 31.3 per cent five years

earlier (DHHS, 2019).

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

High level of socio-economic disadvantage

:

- overcrowding and severe overcrowding are generally more prevalent in middle

ring suburbs and areas, where there is significant socio-economic disadvantage

(Herath and Bentley 2017).

- Brimbank has an overall unemployment rate of 8.1%, compared to 4.7% across

Victoria (DESE 2019).

- Brimbank has a significant proportion (6.4%) of people on the lowest form of

income support (i.e. Newstart), compared to Victoria (3.8%) (Greater

Dandenong).

- Brimbank’s overall rating on the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index

of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (921.0) shows it to have higher levels

of disadvantage compared to both Greater Melbourne (1,021.0) and Victoria

(1,010.0).

- Suburbs in Brimbank with the highest levels of socio-economic disadvantage also

largely accord with those areas of highest rental stress, including:

- St Albans South (831.5)

- Kings Park (832.4)

- St Albans North (842.0)

- Sunshine North (854.8)

- Sunshine West (878.7).

- Children living in low socioeconomic areas were also found to be 12 times as

likely to be living in an overcrowded situation as those from high socioeconomic

areas (AIHW 2019).



High proportion of people born overseas

:

- Nationally the number of people in the ‘severely’ crowded dwellings who were

born overseas doubled since the previous Census, with people arriving from

India, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Thailand and Taiwan accounting for about

half the rise in this group.

- Brimbank’s population profile of nearly 48% people born overseas (compared to

the Victorian figure of 28%) is in line with the national trend for households of

people born overseas to be more likely to have large numbers of people living

together.

- Sometimes multiple families or groups sharing a dwelling designed for just a

single household – this is based on both cultural norms and the likelihood that

many migrant and refugee communities are supporting family and friends who

may have no or limited working rights in Australia.

Rough sleeping in Brimbank

Rough sleeping is typically the most visible, but least common, form of homelessness. Based on

national data, we know that rough sleepers are more likely to be male, aged 35 or over,

unemployed, living alone and have mental health and/or drug or alcohol issues (AIHW 2018).

However, Brimbank’s biggest issue in relation to rough sleeping is that it’s officially recorded

(by the ABS) as not existing. This has multiple implications for the way that resources are

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allocated, planning decisions are informed, and the responses available to people in arguably

the most vulnerable position in the municipality.

As noted earlier, the 2016 Census count of ‘0’ people sleeping rough is widely accepted (by

service providers, the Department of Health and Human Services, and by Council staff) as

inaccurate and most likely related to methodological or resourcing limitations. Consultation

with Council staff for this project identified there are likely to be up to 100 or more people

sleeping rough on any one night, based on the tents, makeshift dwellings and other

observations of people living without any form of shelter in parks, abandoned allotments, car

parks, public transport hubs, along railway lines and in other ‘hidden’ parts of the municipality

(direct conversations with Council staff as part of this project).

Without adequate data on the incidence of rough sleeping in Brimbank, it is unlikely to receive

adequate resources in the State Government’s rough sleeping action plan (or other initiatives)

to support these people into some form of accommodation.

As an example, the StreetCount methodology used since 2008 for a two-yearly count run by

City of Melbourne (and since 2018 with four other inner-Metropolitan Councils involved) would

provide a much more accurate local picture of rough sleepers (see Appendix A). In 2018, the

City of Melbourne counted 279 people sleeping rough in total, but this was for a larger

geographic area than was included in 2016 – when comparing the same geographic regions for

2016 and 2018 the number actually fell slightly from 247 to 210. Other key characteristics

obtained through this methodology include an estimation of age, gender, household type

(single or family group), country of birth, and Aboriginality. Where more in-depth discussions

were held, it could also identify their planned service usage, smartphone usage, whether they

were on a register for social housing, length of time in current location and number of places

stayed in during the last month. These are all very useful indicators for understanding the local

needs and in planning for appropriate additional services.

The full 2018 StreetCount (including Maribyrnong, Yarra, Stonnington and Port Phillip) covered

approximately 70% of the five municipalities and counted 392 sleeping rough on a single day in

June (Inner Melbourne Action Plan 2018). It found that 78% of those counted were males and

79% were Australian born and 14% identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. This

demonstrates that the rough sleeping population is very different to the overall population.

Only 68% planned to access a service later in the day, demonstrating that nearly one third were

not in regular contact with the service system. This provides a rich new data source

coordinated by local Councils, involving a range of support services and relying on 400

volunteers to assist with the counting process.

Recruiting and training volunteers to assist with this exercise (both from community services

and specialist homelessness services) ensures that people who know the local area, and are

often already in contact with rough sleepers through food services and emergency relief

centres, will be involved.

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As part of the ‘situation appraisal’ of rough sleeping in Victoria developed to inform the rough

sleeper action plan it was found the majority of rough sleepers in Victoria were male (66%) and

aged 20–54 (84%). Nearly three-quarters were single persons living alone, while 8% were

accompanied by young children (Nicholson, 2017). It also identified three main groups of rough

sleepers, based on the amount of time they typically spent in this state:



recently homeless and sleeping rough

(50%–60% of all rough sleepers). Most people in

this group were sleeping rough only briefly and were likely to be single adults and

families sleeping in cars. The triggers associated with this form of homelessness were

financial crisis, high cost of housing, family violence and family breakdown.



persistently homeless

,

who intermittently sleep rough

(30%–35% of all rough sleepers).

This group consisted mostly of older men with mental illness and/or problematic drug

use, who were usually homeless long-term, alternating between rough sleeping and

poor accommodation types.



chronic rough sleepers

(10%–15% of all rough sleepers), usually with multiple and

complex needs. Most commonly these were single adult men, though women, older

people, young people and Indigenous people were also present. There was a generally

high level of mental illness and/or problematic drug use.

Based on this analysis, the Victorian State Government developed its action plan (2018)

accounting for the differing needs of each group, especially in terms of re-housing and support

services.

The research also identified the intersection of three core vulnerabilities – mental health issues,

family violence and problematic substance abuse (see Figure 1).

Despite the current lack of data on rough sleepers in Brimbank, this analysis is helpful in

understanding the likely makeup of the uncounted population, and also their key vulnerabilities

or risks.

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Two opportunities for increasing knowledge about this group are in the upcoming 2021 ABS

Census, and by joining the group of Council who undertake the biannual street count (the next

one is due in 2020 but has been delayed due to Coronavirus restrictions). Council could

become actively involved in the Census through the Western Homelessness Network Regional,

a group that is actively engaged with the Census team to ensure a more accurate count of

homelessness.

This would include providing intelligence gathered from Council officers on known ‘hotspots’

and locations of rough sleepers across the municipality, and potentially through surveying all

Council staff about their interactions and/or knowledge of people experiencing homelessness in

the months leading up to the Census.

A more accurate count of rough sleepers would assist in Brimbank being considered as an area

for allocation of resources under the Victorian Government rough sleeper action plan, and also

allow for active outreach by support workers and/or Council staff to ensure this population was

made aware of local emergency relief and other services available.

People experiencing homelessness typically use a wide range of services, including Specialist

Homelessness Services (SHS), which are funded by State Government and governed by a strict

set of service standards and reporting requirements. Many people also use food banks and

meal services (often run by charitable organisations and religious groups), mental health

services, family violence services, alcohol and other drug services, financial counselling,

gambling support services, material aid and emergency relief services, and other mainstream

services.

The nominated access point for specialist homelessness services in the Brimbank (and Melton)

areas is Salvation Army Social Housing (SASHs). This is where people are referred to by other

agencies for initial assessment of their situation and needs, and from there they will be referred

to an appropriate housing or support service. Some of the specialist services they may be

referred to include youth support or refuge, family violence service, specialist service for people

involved in the criminal justice system, or to a specialist housing service for assistance with rent

in advance, bonds, utility costs, rental subsidies or rental debt, furniture or moving costs.

Based on the most recent SHS data, Brimbank recorded the highest number of clients in any

LGA across Victoria, with 5,033 people during the financial year and the second highest

proportion of people per head of population (24.1 per 1,000 people) across metropolitan

Melbourne (see Figure 2, below). The only metropolitan LGA that recorded a higher proportion

of clients per head of population was Melton (25.4 per 1,000) which is immediately adjacent to

Brimbank’s western boundary and covers suburbs such as Caroline Springs, Rockbank, Melton

and Diggers Rest. The largest cohort in Brimbank was children aged 0-9 years (accompanying

adult clients), followed by adults 30-39 years then adults 20-29 years.

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These figures indicate that Brimbank has a much higher service usage than other inner-urban

Council areas that have been typically more associated with homelessness such as Melbourne,

Yarra and Port Phillip. This is supported by earlier research on rough sleeping which showed

that only around 30% of rough sleepers were located in inner-city areas, compared with 31% in

outer-suburban areas and 30% in rural areas (Chamberlain and Mackenzie 2011). Local research

has also found that many young people dislike common labels used to define homelessness and

may be unaware of available services or even that they are experiencing homelessness

(Thielking, 2016). For example, more than half of young people surveyed for this research were

unaware of the term ‘couch surfing’ and did not understand this to be a form of homelessness.

As shown in Figure 3, the primary reasons cited by clients for accessing homelessness services

are related to housing issues (housing crisis, being in inadequate or inappropriate housing, or

housing affordability stress), experiencing financial difficulties and domestic of family violence.

This indicates that for the 5,033 clients accessing services in a year there are typically multiple

reasons for them seeking assistance and it is highly likely that they are presenting with more

than one issue. Notably rates for females are highest in all categories, particularly for domestic

and family violence, relationship/family breakdown, and financial difficulties.

Data collected by the Department of Social Services has also shown that Brimbank has the

second highest rates of unmet demand for emergency accommodation for women and children

experiencing family violence in Melbourne’s west (behind neighbouring LGA, Wyndham) (DSS,

2020). This accords with data from the Family Violence Database shown in Figure 4, showing a

10% increase in family violence incidents over the past year, and the disturbing figure of 32.4%

of incidents being recorded as having a child present.

The North and West Homelessness Networks collectively manage 200 homelessness programs

across 50 specialist homelessness and family violence organisations (see Figure 5), making it a

very valuable asset and influential body for Council to engage with in its future work in this

area. These networks are actively involved with numerous research projects, advocacy to state

and federal government MPs, and coordinating responses.

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Statewide response

Victoria has the highest proportion of the population using homelessness services with 1 in 57

people receiving assistance, compared to 1 in 86 nationally.

The latest Report on Government Services showed that overall 38.3% of people accessing

services did not have their accommodation needs met – with only NSW having higher levels of

unmet need for accommodation at 45% (ROGS 2020: data tables 19A.7). This shows that there

is clearly insufficient capacity and resources to meet the housing and accommodation of those

presenting to homelessness services.

On average 105 requests for assistance went unmet each day (AIHW 2019) – this is an increase

of 16% on the previous year. Victoria is also over-represented in the national figures, with

service usage representing 39% nationally compared with the population being only 26%.

Of those people accessing services and already experiencing homelessness (23,700 people),

nearly 30% were assisted in long term housing – with the majority going into private rental

(66%) and 29% going into public or community housing. This outcome is problematic given the

lack of security and affordability issues faced by many low-income households in private rental.

It is also problematic because nearly 50% of those presenting for help are coming from the

private rental market, indicating that it is a fragile form of housing tenure for many.

However, it is likely driven by the fact that Victoria has the lowest proportion of social housing

of any state or territory, with just 3.3% of all housing being social housing (Council to Homeless

Persons, 2019). This means that there are already 82,000 Victorians on the waiting list for

social housing, including 25,000 children (Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into social housing,

2018). While people experiencing or at risk of homelessness go onto a ‘priority list’ within the

allocation system, this still provides no certainty that long term, affordable housing will be

found.

Demand for public housing continues to grow along with Victoria’s growing population and

declining levels of housing affordability, with the number of people waiting for social housing

growing by 500 people each month (Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Social Housing, 2018).

For those nearly 42,000 clients who were at risk of homelessness when accessing a service for

assistance in 2018-19, an impressive 9 in 10 were assisted to remain in their tenancy, whether

that was in private rental or public/community housing. This demonstrates the importance of

homelessness services being able to provide preventative/early intervention to stop people

sliding into homelessness.

Local/Western Region response

At a local level, research by the Western Homelessness Network in 2019 identified the service

system is still being overwhelmed with demand that it cannot meet. Of the 13,500 people

presenting to homelessness services in the Western region in 2017-18 (which includes

Brimbank) it was found that:



just under 4,000 were able to be assisted with case management support to address

their various housing and support needs



230 were provided with transitional housing (up to two years limit)

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

3,596 were provided with short-term low-cost emergency accommodation, primarily in

rooming houses and private motels



1,385 are still on a waiting list for housing and support services



An additional 4,000 households were turned away without appointments due to being

unable to assist them (Western Homelessness Network 2019).

With only 2 crisis accommodation properties across the whole of Brimbank, the primary

response that services have is to use Housing Establishment Fund (HEF) payments to offer

people one- or two-nights’ accommodation in a private motel or rooming house. In 2017

specialist homelessness services spent $2.5m of HEF to accommodate 9,000 households in this

type of temporary accommodation. This represented a five-fold increase in this expenditure

since 2011 (NWHN 2018).

People using these facilities were reporting back to services that they often felt more unsafe

and at risk while staying in these premises, due to the appalling state of the rooms and issues

with both management and other residents, with many saying they would prefer to continue

sleeping rough. This led to the Northern and Western Homelessness Network undertaking

further consumer-based research and completing the report ‘A Crisis in Crisis: the appalling

state of emergency accommodation in Melbourne’s North and West’ (NWHN 2018).

Based on the findings of this report, homelessness services across the region has subsequently

agreed to ‘ban’ the use of certain premises due to the poor and dangerous state of

accommodation offered. While the outcomes of this action are yet to be reported, it is possible

that this will lead to an increase in the numbers of people sleeping rough in the meantime if no

other alternatives are available (or only available in other suburbs/regions to which they have

no attachment/links). More broadly, existing emergency accommodation in Brimbank

(including hotels and rooming houses) may be affected by Victorian Government planning and

infrastructure, including the Sunshine Super Hub (part of the Melbourne Airport Rail Link) and

development associated with the Sunshine Priority Precinct.

While it does not represent the full picture, data collected on people accessing homelessness

services gives us a useful insight into the key demographics of those who identify as ‘at risk’ of

homelessness on presentation. In 2018-19, more than 41,900 (or 37%) of those presenting at

services were housed but at risk of homelessness. Of these 91% were assisted to stay in their

current housing, with around 800 of these assisted to move into public or community housing.

The rest of the service usage data isn’t broken down into the categories of ‘currently homeless’

and ‘housed but at risk of homelessness’, the profile of the full cohort of the 113,000 people

accessing Victorian Specialist Homelessness Services in 2018-19 can also help determine what

has put people at risk:



Over 60% of those asking for assistance were ‘returning’ or repeat clients



61% of those seeking help are women



Around 47% of clients at risk of homelessness were currently in private rental housing

(or other forms of housing like home ownership)

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

10% of clients were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (compared with 26% of clients

nationally, and only 0.8% of the Victorian population)



47% of clients had accompanying children (35% were one parent families and 12% were

couples with children)



40% were unemployed and 45% were not in the labour force



The top 3 reasons for clients seeking assistance were:

- domestic and family violence (44%, compared with 38% nationally)

- financial difficulties (44%, compared with 41% nationally)

- housing crisis (37%, compared with 37% nationally).



Almost 15% of clients were young people presenting alone



Just over one quarter (6,100) were children 0-17 year of age in families that were being

supported (AIHW 2019).

This data is not currently available at an LGA level, it would be worthwhile undertaking further

research to analyse the service data of people using the SASHS access point to determine how

closely this statewide data aligns with Brimbank’s profile.

Research undertaken on client demographics for Unison Housing (the access point for

Melbourne CBD, inner West and Wyndham) found that the social characteristics were very

different to those accessing services at a statewide and national level. It found that

comparatively they were more likely to have been born overseas, there was greater gender

balance, more likely to be single and on a Newstart allowance (Johnson and Watson 2018). It

also found that around two thirds of those accessing services were currently experiencing

homelessness, and about 25% were at risk of homelessness.

Populations most at risk of homelessness

Data from specialist homelessness services can give an insight into the characteristics of those

presenting at their doors. However, it doesn’t necessarily give the whole picture of those at risk

in the community, particularly for those don’t seek assistance for various reasons, e.g. don’t

know about services or don’t want to ask for help.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the broad list of factors that put

someone most at risk of homelessness (AIHW 2010) are:



Financial stress (including due to loss of income, low income, gambling, change of family

circumstances)



Housing affordability stress and housing crises, e.g. pending evictions/foreclosures,

rental and/or mortgage arrears



Inadequate or inappropriate dwelling conditions, including accommodation which is

unsafe, unsuitable or overcrowded



Previous accommodation ended



Relationship/family breakdown



Child abuse, neglect or environments where children are at risk



Sexual abuse



Domestic/family violence



Non-family violence



Mental health issues and other health problems



Problematic alcohol, drug or substance use

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

Employment difficulties and unemployment



Problematic gambling



Transitions from custodial and care arrangements, including out of home care,

independent living arrangements for children aged under 18, health and mental health

facilities/programs, juvenile/youth justice and correctional facilities



Discrimination including racial discrimination, e.g. Aboriginal people in the urban rental

market



Disengagement with school or other education and training



Involvement in or exposure to criminal activities



Antisocial behaviour



Lack of family and/or community support



Staying in a boarding house for 12 weeks or more without security of tenure

However, this long list of risk factors is difficult to understand in an operational sense as some

households may face some or all of these, and yet still not experience homelessness.

Other research found that the three key socio-economic characteristics in regions with high

levels of homelessness were weak labour markets, concentrations of poverty, and income

inequality (Wood et al 2015). One of the authors of this report has gone onto develop a more

detailed analysis of how these ‘risk factors’ interact to provide a more useful understanding of

what is most likely to result in homelessness for different household types (Batterham 2019), as

outlined below.

Correlation between risks and causal factors

There is a wealth of research, both in Australia and internationally, that refers to homelessness

arising from a combination of structural and individual factors. However, what this means for

individual households or even at a broader community level is only useful if it presents some

way of either providing the additional protective factors required, or enables specific

interventions to help households overcome both structural and individual circumstances at the

same time.

Batterham’s research – based on a literature review of research across Australia, United States

and United Kingdom – takes a deep dive into how the particular behaviours, characteristics and

experiences of individuals intersects with the broader structural conditions they may be facing

(such as housing markets, labour markets, or inadequate social security measures) to cause

homelessness to occur (Batterham 2019).

The seven types of causes of homelessness, and possible interrelationships, are presented

within a framework that proposes ‘social stratification and inequalities’ as an overarching

causal factor (see Figure 6).

The key learning is that there are usually multiple causes of homelessness, operating on

different levels, and interacting to result in a household (whether that is an individual or a

family unit) to become homeless. From this, the five key mechanisms identified by Batterham

that are likely to intersect in some way and lead to homelessness are:

1. Low income and/or income instability

2. Experiencing discrimination

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3. The need for support to access or maintain a living situation

4. Limited social capital and supports

5. Housing market tightness

Her theory is that where more than one of these factors occur at the same time – such as the

housing market tightening while someone is experiencing limited social supports or they

experience income instability from having lost a job or being thrown off social security benefits

– homelessness is most likely to occur.

The intake and assessment process used by homelessness services asks questions of clients

around each of these factors, including undertaking safety and risk assessments of their

personal situation. However, such a tool would be useful at a broader planning level to identify

and predict where populations may become at greater risk of homelessness, due to broader

structural changes.

From a Council perspective, this could also provide a useful framework for identifying

populations that are at greater risk and putting protective interventions in place. All five of the

key mechanisms identified in the model above are relevant in Brimbank, based on demographic

characteristics and these are likely to intensify in the months ahead due to COVID—19.

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6. The role of Commonwealth and State

governments in addressing homelessness

Before addressing the specific role of local governments in relation to homelessness, it is worth

reviewing the current roles and initiatives underway at a Federal and State level given their

primary role in revenue collection and distribution, and legislated roles in relation to housing

provision and homelessness support programs.

The

Commonwealth Government

has historically had the lead role in responding to

homelessness through funding for housing supply and homelessness support services, initially

through the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (CSHA) and the Commonwealth Rent

Assistance (CRA) program, and more recently through the National Partnership Agreement on

Homelessness and the National Affordable Housing Agreement.

The first National Homelessness Strategy was developed in 2001 and followed by the ‘Road

Home’ Homelessness Strategy of 2008 which represented the largest investment ever in

response to homelessness. From 1 July 2018 the current funding arrangements enable

homelessness services to be delivered through the National Housing and Homelessness

Agreement (NHHA), which includes $4.6 billion in Commonwealth Rent Assistance (a

supplementary payment to people on low incomes in the rental market paid via Centrelink) and

$1.5 billion in payments via State and Territory governments

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This includes $125 million in Federal funding for homelessness services in 2019–20 which is

expected to be matched by states and territories. Distribution of resources is based on bi-lateral

agreements with each jurisdiction, delivering funding to 1,583 agencies. As shown in Figure 7,

the Northern Territory has relatively low numbers but the highest rate of homelessness per

head of population, with Victoria the second highest at 175 people per 10,000 in the population

accessing homelessness services.

The priority homelessness cohorts identified in the NHHA are:

●

women and children affected by family and domestic violence

●

children and young people

●

Indigenous Australians

●

people experiencing repeat homelessness

●

people exiting from care or institutions into homelessness

●

older people.

Additional funding for family violence has been allocated through a $60 million capital grant

program for additional emergency accommodation as part of the

and $18 million through the

program to continue supporting states and territories to provide

security updates and safety planning.

The

for young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness has a funding

commitment of $118 million over five years to help break the cycle of homelessness through

provision of counselling, mediation and other support to help young people find stable

accommodation, improve or repair relationships with their family, access employment

opportunities or stay connected to schools, and a range of measures to participate in local

community activities.

State governments

have adopted a range of different responses (see Table 5) to housing and

homelessness. These range from that choose to separate their housing and homelessness

policy and program responses (like Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia), to others

that focus on housing supply as the primary response (like Queensland) to those that choose to

integrate them (like South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT).

Jurisdiction

Homelessness response

Housing affordability response

Victoria

Homelessness and Rough Sleepers

Action Plan (2018)

Homes for Victorians (2017)

New South Wales

Homelessness Strategy 2018-2023 Future Directions for Social Housing

in NSW (2016)

Western Australia

All Paths Lead to. Home: Western

Australia’s 10-year Strategy on

Homelessness 2020-2030

Affordable Housing Action Plan

2017-18 to 2019-20

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Queensland

(integrated into housing plan) plus

Partnering for impact to reduce

homelessness in Queensland

(2018)

Queensland Housing Strategy 2017-

27

South Australia

Our Housing Future 2020-2030

Tasmania

Affordable Housing Strategy 2015–

2025

ACT

ACT Housing Strategy (2018)

Northern Territory

NT Homelessness Strategy 2018-23 NT Housing Strategy 2020-2025

The

Victorian Government’s

approach to housing and homelessness is outlined in the bi-lateral

agreement with the federal government, which identifies how funding will be used over the

period 2018-2023. The primary response to homelessness is through the $109 million of

funding provided to Specialist Homelessness Services to provide a range of housing and support

services, supplemented by the 2018 Homelessness and Rough Sleepers Action Plan ($45.5

million investment). There is a separate plan to increase the supply of affordable housing

through the 2017

By contrast, in NSW there is a comprehensive five-year plan, the ‘NSW Homelessness Strategy

2018-2023’ that covers the full range of responses from prevention and early intervention,

through to effective supports and responses and a focus on a more integrated and person

centred service system (NSW Government 2018). In Western Australia there is a 10-year plan.

Victoria’s homelessness and rough sleeping action plan (2018) was developed in response to

the growing numbers of rough sleepers presenting to homelessness services and being counted

in the Census data, including acknowledgement of 1,100 people sleeping rough throughout

Victoria on any single night. It identifies rough sleeping as the ‘most extreme and literal form of

homelessness’ and something that can be experienced by anyone within the community with

‘lasting impacts on their health and wellbeing that can worsen over time (Victorian Government

2018, p.6).

The plan identifies three groups affected by rough sleeping:

1. Those who are

recently homeless and sleeping rough due to personal crises.

2. Those who have been

sleeping rough for an extended period

of time and have multiple

related issues.

3. Those who are at

risk of chronic homelessness and rough sleeping after leaving

institutional settings

, including prisons, youth justice centres and impatient health

facilities, as well as young people leaving out-of-home care.

The action plan aims to deliver support to each of these groups through four key service

responses:

1. Intervening early to prevent homelessness

2. Providing stable accommodation as quickly as possible

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3. Support to maintain stable accommodation

4. An effective and responsive homelessness services system

It also references a number of other initiatives underway as part of the Homes for Victorians

reforms, including:



$9.8 million for the

program

to provide temporary accommodation with

intensive, flexible and specialist support for people with histories of recurring and

persistent homelessness



$120 million to increase the supply of social housing through public housing upgrade

and head-leasing of private rental through partnerships with housing associations



$152 million

Family Violence Housing Blitz

to redevelop refuges and build and buy more

housing for women and children escaping family violence



$33.2 million to extend

private rental brokerage

for a further two years to assist people

to secure and maintain accommodation in the private rental market as a long-term

housing option.

The

strategy also aims to increase the supply of affordable housing in

Victoria through:



a $1 billion Social Housing Growth Fund



the development of 6,000 social housing dwellings



renewal of 2,500 public housing dwellings



$100 million in low cost loans



$1 billion in government guarantees for housing associations to increase their stock.

In Victoria, there are 131 agencies that provide Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) to more

than 100,000 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness each year. They are accessed via

75 ‘entry points’ across the state including specialist entry points for young people, Aboriginal

people, and women and children experiencing family violence. There are also two statewide

phone lines (one for people in housing crisis and one for those in family violence crisis) that

operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

SHSs are contracted by the Victorian government and are typically delivered by a range of not

for-profit organisations. They provide assistance to access short term or long-term housing and

help people at-risk to remain housed. Temporary housing is generally provided by registered

housing providers or housing associations. This includes transitional housing, crisis

accommodation, and emergency accommodation. SHSs also assist people into longer term

housing in the private rental market or through applications for public and community housing.

In addition to housing support, SHSs also provide a range of general support services, including:



Advice and information regarding housing options



Advocacy and liaison



Assistance to access income support payments



Assistance with applications for public and community housing



Assistance with rent arrears or emergency accommodation



Meals



Laundry or shower services

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

Material aid



Case management



Assertive outreach



Support around sexual assault or family violence



Referral to specialist services including health, mental health, drug and alcohol, legal

and financial



Court support services

In 2009, the SHS underwent a major reform process to make it easier for people in need to

know where to go for assistance. The reforms also aimed to provide more equitable access to

funded services, and greater coordination between different service providers and programs.

The reforms also sought to respond to the historic nature of the service system, which meant

that some new growth areas were under-serviced compared to other parts of the state,

noticeably those in the inner metropolitan areas.

In Brimbank, the nominated access point to Specialist Homelessness Services is the Salvation

Army Social Housing (SASHs) agency, which has reported overwhelming demand for their

services in recent years. This service, which also covers services in Melton, have reported being

unable to provide appointments to around 200 people each month (Western Homelessness

Network 2019).

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7. The role of local government in addressing

homelessness

In Australia, local governments have not traditionally played a significant role in addressing

homelessness, given that this is primarily a Federal/State responsibility and not a core function

of councils, either legislatively or in a regulatory sense. It is worth noting that this is quite

different to some other countries, such as the UK and the US, where the powers and

responsibilities for housing and homelessness have been more devolved to the local level.

However, since a 2011 Council of Australian Governments (COAG) commitment that all levels of

government, including local government, play a role in addressing homelessness there has been

more activity in this space. This has included an acknowledgement that local governments are

being increasingly impacted by growing levels of homelessness, lack of affordable housing, and

increasing levels of family violence and associated harms that arise from homelessness.

As noted in a literature review on the issue of local government’s role in addressing

homelessness (Beer and Prance 2012), one of the most direct role Councils have is through

their roles in the management of urban spaces and through the provision and control of

housing. This includes land use planning, encouraging affordable housing in certain

developments, and the regulation of boarding/rooming houses. Councils also have a role in

terms of infrastructure and service provision. However, Councils now face limitations on their

resources and powers, particularly in the context of ‘rate capping’ and some ‘cost shifting’ from

other levels of government. Therefore, it is suggested that the most effective role could be as a

facilitator of solutions to homelessness rather than through direct service provision.

This research led to the development of ‘A Tool Kit for Local Government’ in addressing

homelessness, which presented a five-phase approach for guiding councils through the process

of considering how to formalise policies, develop internal procedures, and undertake research

or evaluation around homelessness (Prance, Beer and Horne 2013). The toolkit suggests that a

working group be established to help each Council work through the following five phases:



Review phase:

understanding the local triggers, mapping current initiatives, identifying

available resources, and identifying stakeholders to involve



Planning phase:

undertake research, agree upon the type of homelessness to be

addressed, and evaluate existing policy and strategy documents



Decision phase:

internal debate and external consultations held to identify what

commitments can be made



Implementation phase:

development of formal policy, internal strategies, ensure

material is publicly available, and ensure a process of monitoring and evaluation for

activities



Promotion phase:

involves informing internal staff and external

stakeholders/community members, sharing the strategies and experience/outcomes

with other Councils.

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Brimbank appears to have undertaken many of the steps in phase 1 (review), several of those in

phase 2 (planning) and has started some activities from phase 3 (consultation processes).

The key message from the Tool Kit project was that ‘local governments can make a difference

without having to make large financial contributions or take on new responsibilities’, and this

has possibly helped encourage greater activity by various local governments, both in Victoria

and in other jurisdictions in recent years as outlined below.

This section outlines a range of best practice examples in responding to homelessness from

around Victoria and Australia. They provide guidance on initiatives that may be considered in

Brimbank. However, understanding local conditions (e.g. socioeconomic disadvantage, cultural

diversity, land use) will be critical to the implementation of any future projects to maximise

their impact and effectiveness. In particular, Council’s work on social and affordable housing

needs to be planned and undertaken in the context of local limitations, constraints and

opportunities.

In 2019, the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors released a new report entitled ‘Capital

Concern: Homelessness in Australian Cities’. The report called on the Federal Government to

develop a national housing and homelessness strategy and work more closely with states and

territories to deliver urgently required affordable housing. In particular, they noted that

expecting the emergency and crisis support services to deal with the growing levels of rough

sleeping and homelessness was untenable, and that the provision of affordable housing was a

key to addressing this issue in the long term.

In Victoria, the Municipal Association of Victoria made a comprehensive submission to the

recent Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness, acknowledging that more councils are paying

attention to homelessness. They called on the state government to make a number of reforms

to address both the lack of affordable housing and the growing incidence of homelessness

across the state. This included recommendations to:



Increase

investment in social housing

through partnerships with local Councils,

including through identifying available land for social housing developments



Investigate better mechanisms at a state level for councils to

manage and implement

affordable housing contributions

from developers (secured through Section 173

agreements)



Invest in a new initiative to better coordinate

identification and provision of support

services to people sleeping rough

, through introducing a ‘by name’ list across

Melbourne – similar to initiatives that have been introduced in Adelaide’s Functional

Zero project and based on examples from overseas



Build resilience and protective factors for

preventing homelessness through the

existing platform of universal services

provided by local Councils, including through

Maternal and Child Health nurses and youth services



Develop a

‘Good Practice Guide’

for local government to document and share good

practice and positive examples across the state.

In their submission, the MAV also provided examples of good practice in addressing

homelessness from various local governments, including advocacy, direct service delivery,

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provision of land for new affordable housing developments, and improved data collection. The

examples included:



The

bi-annual ‘StreetCount’

held by the City of Melbourne since 2008, to undertake a

snapshot count of the numbers and characteristics of people sleeping rough across the

municipality. Initially held to augment the ABS Census count held every five years, this

StreetCount utilises volunteers to make a more comprehensive assessment and also

record additional information that can be useful to local services in responding. In 2018

four other inner-city councils joined to make this a broader exercise, in

acknowledgement that rough sleeping is not limited to the inner city, and that it doesn’t

discriminate against age or gender.



A

forum held in November 2019

to help develop a regional response to homelessness

developed by fourteen Councils in the eastern region (led by Monash) – this was in

recognition that Councils operating collectively are much more likely to achieve positive

outcomes, than by operating individually.



An innovative program, ‘Connect Respect’, developed by the City of Melbourne to

provide

free training and resources

to local businesses concerned about the impact of

rough sleepers and street beggars on their operations, staff and customers. The training

program is delivered by trained educators from the Council to Homeless Persons’ Peer

Education Support Program, and gives practical examples for businesses owners and

staff to have the confidence to respond to rough sleepers in an inclusive and respectful

way.



The City of Darebin’s work over the last 10 years to play an active role in addressing

family violence, including the need for

more emergency accommodation

for affected

women and children, and the recognition of women over 55 years as the fastest

growing cohort of homeless people nationally. Also, Darebin’s recently announced

‘Shower Access Program’ that provides people experiencing homelessness with access

to Council recreation facilities in Reservoir and Northcote.



Various

protocols for responding to people sleeping rough

, providing Council staff with

guidance on how to respond most effectively, and also ensure that council services are

appropriately inclusive of this group within the community. Councils with protocols in

place now include Melbourne, Yarra, Port Phillip, Boroondara (as well as many Councils

interstate).

Other local government initiatives include the ‘Heatwave Response Plan’ enacted by the City of

Melbourne several years ago which was most recently extended to deal with the

unprecedented impact of bushfire smoke across much of metropolitan Melbourne. This

includes a number of measures aimed at providing relief to people sleeping rough or without

access to safe places out of the heat (including people living in rooming houses or in

overcrowded dwellings), including:



Supporting local homelessness service

, the Salvation Army, to keep its café and drop in

centre open 24 hours a day in extreme weather, and extend its hours as needed



Provision of

free movie tickets

during heat waves to people experiencing homelessness,

to be distributed via specialist homelessness services – this is designed to provide

respite from extreme heat as well as social inclusion to those without resources



Free pool passes

for use at Council’s aquatic facilities, again as a measure of heat relief

and social inclusion

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

Distribution of

free water bottles

on days of extreme heat, as well as expansion and

promotion of water fountains across the municipality as a health measure (in

conjunction with VicHealth).

The City of Melbourne was also the first Council in Victoria to have

an in-house assertive

outreach team

(in conjunction with service provider Launch Housing), which is an initiative also

recently taken up by Darebin Council (in partnership with local provider Merri Outreach

Support Service), with both trying to provide better connection between people sleeping rough

and the funded service system. The idea is to actively seek out and engage with rough sleepers,

provide immediate and short-term assistance where possible, and then provide ‘active’

referrals to local housing and support services. Similar initiatives exist interstate including at

the City of Sydney, in Byron Shire (NSW) and the City of Adelaide.

Darebin has also developed an

‘Emergency Relief and Food Aid’ guide

aimed at people

experiencing financial crisis with details of local food programs, free or cheap meals and

emergency relief outlets. It provides information about statewide support services, as well as

community health and other mainstream services, and includes a map to identify where these

services are located.

In addition, some local governments have been very active in

developing policy and initiatives

around local affordable housing

with 17 councils currently participating in projects under the

‘Social Housing Investment Planning’ grants program run by the Victorian government. Many

councils have also developed affordable housing strategies in the last decade (including the

cities of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Moreland, Yarra, Hobsons Bay and Geelong), while Port Phillip

has also been an active housing developer for over 20 years.

A policy brief published by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) has

also identified the important ways in which local governments can assist in ensuring key

workers (typically, child care and health care workers, police and firefighters, retail and

hospitality) have increased access to affordable housing to ensure that local neighbourhoods

operate effectively (AHURI 2020). This can be achieved through both direct and indirect action,

including advocating to state governments around additional social housing supply and the

need for more formalised inclusionary zoning and voluntary planning agreements. Another way

is through providing support to community housing providers, such as occurred through the

City of Melbourne’s partnership with Launch Housing and various other stakeholders in the

delivery of the Elizabeth Street Common Ground project in 2010.

As outlined in the recently published City of Yarra homelessness strategy, and in initiatives

outlined on the City of Melbourne’s website and the City of Port Phillip strategy, there a wide

range of other roles that councils can play in supporting residents who may be at risk of

homelessness or living in a range of marginalised or insecure housing. These include:



Partnering with local community services to provide meals to those in need, including

people living in rooming house accommodation



Working with local homelessness and other support agencies to coordinate responses to

people sleeping



Providing funding to various homelessness services to support their local operations

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

Providing information to local businesses and other organisations to educate them

about homelessness, and what local services are available for referrals



Participation in the local ‘Orange Door’ initiative aimed at assisting people experiencing

family violence and homelessness to access housing and other support services (while

there is not yet an ‘Orange Door’ operating in Brimbank, it is likely to be announced

over the coming year)



Social policy and research functions, including understanding the need for social and

affordable housing to meet the needs of local residents



Ensuring council facilities such as libraries are accessible and welcoming of people

experiencing homelessness, and using the library as a way to educate the local

community about the issue and needs of this cohort of people



Publishing information about local material aid, homelessness services and other

supports available, e.g. the ‘Helping Out Guide’ has been published by the City of

Melbourne for over 10 years



Holding an annual Homeless Memorial (City of Port Phillip) in Homeless Persons’ Week

to respectfully remember the passing away of people who were experiencing

homelessness.

Advocacy is another important part of Council’s role, and Brimbank could address a range of

issues related to homelessness, including:



providing additional support for people to remain in public and community housing,

preventing evictions into homelessness



the need for additional income security payments and rental supplements for those at

risk of homelessness (evidence shows that the cost of preventing homelessness is much

less than responding to homelessness)



the importance of providing ongoing protections to people at risk in the private rental

market, one of the greatest contributors to homelessness



the importance of providing supports for young people leaving care and people leaving

prisons, to prevent this group being exited from institutional care into homelessness.

There are several ways in which councils can attempt to influence the production, consumption

and management of affordable housing supply (Beer and Prance 2012). In terms of production,

some Councils have chosen to invest directly into housing developments (notably City of Port

Phillip), while others have made contributions to housing supply through provision of land,

waiving of rates and charges, or development of affordable housing strategies that identify

local demand and proactive ways to work in partnership with stakeholders to meet those

needs. Advocacy to state and federal governments is another key mechanism by which councils

can aim to increase supply of affordable housing.

Many of the calls by stakeholders for Council to take action on homelessness refer to the need

for additional affordable housing supply. To date, this need has not been quantified in

Brimbank but key factors contributing to the need for additional affordable housing include the

minimal growth in social housing and diminishing housing affordability. As with many other

issues, it is important for Council to be clear about the housing policy levers it holds, and those

which are the responsibility of other levels of government (as outlined in Figure 8, based on

research from AHURI).

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Perhaps the key barrier for councils in Victoria is the lack of mandatory requirements for

affordable housing. Rather, affordable housing contributions are secured on a voluntary basis

through the planning system using various mechanisms, including:



Floor Uplift Area (FAU) or density bonus schemes, where developers provide an

affordable housing contribution in exchange for additional height/density



Non-mandatory Affordable Housing Targets for certain large scale developments

(notably 6% of stock at Fisherman’s Bend and Arden-Macauley)



Value sharing where currently unused land (e.g. former industrial land) is ‘up-zoned’ to

residential or mixed use, and developers provide an affordable housing contribution to

‘share’ the increased value with the broader community (National Shelter 2019:17).

In contrast, a range of mandatory ‘inclusionary zoning’ measures across other jurisdictions have

yielded notable outcomes. The most significant examples are in:



South Australia, which has had mandated inclusionary zoning targets for fourteen years

(15% of new dwellings must be classed affordable and 5% for high needs groups)



New South Wales, where 2% of housing in specified zones must be affordable housing

or developers must pay a levy



ACT, where 20% of all new estates must include affordable housing, along with a range

of other measures such as a land rent scheme.



Western Australia, which also has a policy requiring 12% of new residential

developments in the metropolitan area to be shared equity or social housing units, but

so far they have all been shared equity outcomes (AHURI 2017).

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The City of Melbourne’s submission to the ‘Planning Mechanisms for Affordable Housing

Ministerial Advisory Committee’ calls for the introduction of mandatory inclusionary zoning

across Victoria with a minimum percentage of affordable housing to be included in all

developments. It also recommends a cash-in-lieu option, along with provisions for local

governments to increase the minimum requirement where there is evidence to support this

need, and a voluntary uplift incentive where appropriate (City of Melbourne 2019). Their

argument is based on research showing that for every $1 of investment in affordable housing

there is $3 in community benefits generated including through reduced crime, reduced family

violence, health cost savings, enhanced human capital, educational benefits, and key worker

retention.

As noted, one of the most critical ways in which Councils can contribute to an increase in all

forms of affordable housing supply is through advocacy to State and Federal Government. With

Victoria now having the lowest percentage of social housing nationally (at 3.5%) and the lowest

investment per capita, there is an urgent need for action. AHURI researchers have estimated

that an additional 166,000 social housing dwellings are required to meet current and future

demand over the next 20 years (including 127,500 in Greater Melbourne) (Lawson et al 2018).

Current measures will not come close to delivering this volume of additional housing.

Brimbank’s advocacy should take account of the local context and more detailed analysis of

unmet need, but could also focus on a range of broad reforms, including:



increased government funding to increase the supply of social housing, emphasising the

economic benefits of additional construction at a time of severe economic downturn (as

expected from the Coronavirus pandemic)



identifying opportunities to use underutilised government land for new housing

projects. For example, The Harris Transportable Housing Project in Melbourne’s west

has seen philanthropists working with VicRoads and Launch Housing to create 57 tiny

homes for people with experience of homelessness. Notably, research by University of

Melbourne also suggests there is up to 195 hectares of government land sitting empty

across Greater Melbourne, including numerous sites in Brimbank (Palm, Raynor and

Whitzman 2018)



statewide mandatory inclusionary zoning measures to encourage additional affordable

housing supply within future developments.

Finally, further research could consider the following questions regarding affordable housing:

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8. Consultation findings

To inform this project, a number of consultation processes with local stakeholders were

conducted (see ‘Methodology’ in Section 3 of this report for details) to gain insights from those

with direct experience, as well as those with a strong interest in Council’s future role. The

following represents a summary of the findings from the key groups consulted.

Those with a personal experience of homelessness have a unique and very important

perspective on what is required. Often considered ‘too hard to reach’ they are typically left out

of consultation processes and their voices not heard.

In order to hear directly from this cohort, four people from the Council to Homeless Persons’

‘Peer Education Support Program’ (PESP) were engaged to undertake a small number of

interviews (see Appendix B for list of interview questions). PESP members themselves have a

lived experience of homelessness but are also trained and supported to undertake a range of

engagement activities, including qualitative research and interview techniques. It was

considered by the researcher more appropriate for interviews to be conducted by PESP

members as they have the capacity to relate directly to those being interviewed and can

engage with them as peers. This helps to reduce the power imbalance that can occur when a

professional researcher undertakes the same activity.

In total, 11 interviews were scheduled and 9 completed in a range of settings (mostly in a

secure/private area of a homelessness service). Two had to cancel because of other life events,

and it was not possible to reschedule. Interview participants were recruited through local

homelessness services and through Council’s family violence support service – therefore while

they represent a range of ages and backgrounds, they are not necessarily representative of the

full range of experiences across the municipality and none of them identified as currently

sleeping rough. Further details on those interviewed for this project are presented in Table 6.

Key characteristics

Cohort of nine people with lived experience of homelessness

Age

One over 50 years

Five aged 25-50 years

Three under 25 years

Gender

6 males 3 females

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Family unit

6 single adults

3 adults with accompanying children

Cultural background

2 Anglo, 1 Chinese, 1 Italian/Indigenous, 1 Macedonian/Bosnian, 1

Sudanese, 1 Filipino, 1 Indian

How long in the Brimbank area? 4 had lived in Brimbank most of/whole life

1 had lived in Brimbank 17 years

4 had lived in Brimbank less than a year (1 mth – 10mths)

Connection to the area

5 had a family connection

2 had friends living in the area

2 had no previous connection prior to moving here

Would you like to see the Council

do more to help people without

secure housing?

7 people said yes, and 2 said ‘not sure’.

Noticed changes in the area in

recent years?

5 had noticed significant changes, mostly around increased cost of

housing, but also reduced job opportunities

Only 1 person thought there had been little change

Have you asked for help from

services previously?

6 had never previously asked for help.

1 had previously been to Frontyard Youth Services in the city

1 had previously been to the VISY Youth Centre

Why haven’t you used services

before?

3 said they had never needed them before

1 said they didn’t know what services were available

1 said they used services in another area

What services or supports would

be of most assistance?

6 identified affordable housing

3 identified support workers/services

2 identified jobs/employment assistance

1 mentioned better health services

1 mentioned mental health services

1 mentioned more money

1 mentioned youth refuge accommodation

When asked ‘what is the most difficult type of assistance to access?’ answers were quite varied,

but consistently revolved around housing options and health issues. Responses included:



“A definite permanent roof, mental health services, employment and life planning

assistance”



“Somewhere that I can afford to stay long term. On the dole it’s just impossible….Also

who’s going to give me a place when I haven’t got a job, and I’ve been kicked off

Newstart so often it’s a joke.”



“Managing mental health.”



“It would be nice to have more housing that people like me can afford, more affordable

or public housing. I would like secure housing so that I don’t have to move my children

from one place to another every year and not have to worry about rent being so

expensive.”



“Assistance to get medicines and healthcare since most of my money is spent on them”

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When asked if they ever used Council services, three people said ‘No’ and one responded that

they didn’t really know what services Council offered. The other responses included:



“Only the swimming pool since I use it by medical recommendation to improve my

health”.



“Yes. I have used the library mainly for the computers. I have also used the swimming

pools and the community centres but other than that haven’t used anything else.”



“Library, parks and playgrounds for children. I used to go to a playgroup, but I think it

has stopped.”



“Nothing from Council – but I do hang out at the Youth Service (VISY) a bit. Is that

Council?”

Seven out of the nine people said they would like to see Council to do more to help people with

insecure housing, with three suggesting that Council could provide more housing (possibly

confusing the different roles between State Government and Council when it came to public

housing provision). When asked to nominate what sort of things they would like to see Council

provide, responses included:



“Allow people to have a permanent roof. Prioritise housing to people and families that

need it the most.”



“More services targeted for young people (programs), information, more youth oriented

food places”



“I don’t have or know how or use a computer and I don’t think I can afford one so it

would be good if I could get a printed copy of what help I can get in the area.”



“Most people I know just look after each other – not really sure what Council could be

doing to help us. There are 5 of us living in a 2-bedroom house and we just share the

rooms. Nobody wants to get into trouble, so we don’t say much.”

Finally, when asked what they would say to the Mayor or Councillors of Brimbank if they were

given the opportunity to sit down and talk about their situation, people said:



“Provide more assistance to the homeless and provide affordable housing.”



“I have 4 kids, One of them with ADHD. All of us are living in a tiny apartment now,

sleeping anywhere on the floor or on some mattress. Having to move out every year is

taking a toll on my kids’ and my own mental health. We are in desperate need of help to

get a permanent roof.”



“I would ask them for suggestions on how to improve my situation. At this point, I’ll take

anything.”



“Open more youth refuges and youth projects”



“More youth refuges, more support for youth in the area as most are located in the city

(Melbourne)”



“They need to prioritise help towards the Australian people instead of people from

overseas.”



“I would tell him or her if they can help me in affordable long-term housing, so we can

settle down and the children won’t ask me ‘where are we going next mummy?’. I would

like things to be safe and settled for my children so they can have friends and know they

are in a house that they can stay in for a long time.”

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

“My husband was very violent towards me, but I was too scared to say anything to the

police. Also, I didn’t want my parents to know what was happening. Maybe Council

could help to make people feel like they were more able to get the police involved.”



“There’s so many of us living on the streets now – I have no idea why nobody does

anything about it. If the Mayor or whoever really cared they would make sure there

were places we could live. I’m probably going to keep staying around here though ‘cos I

know people who live in the area and don’t want to leave them behind. They’re all I’ve

got now that my mum had to move away.”

Some of the common themes arising from these lived experience interviews (which were

designed to be qualitative, rather than quantitative or necessarily representative) include:



Access to affordable housing as a key issue



A diversity of cultural backgrounds, ages and service needs



The majority had not previously used homelessness or other support services in the

local area, including Council services, and most were not familiar with the range of

services available



Overwhelming support for Council to do more to assist people experiencing

homelessness.

Including the views and voices of people with a lived experience of homelessness is valuable

and should be considered by Council in the development of future initiatives and

policies/programs. This is an approach that is increasingly valued by governments at all levels

and can be easily facilitated through organisations like the Council to Homeless Persons.

The Brimbank Homelessness Forum was attended by over thirty people, representing around

20 organisations. The Forum commenced with a presentation on key data on housing and

homelessness in the local region by Sarah Langmore, Western Region Homelessness Networker,

and was followed by a presentation on Council held data by the researcher Chris Black.

Attendees then considered the following four key questions within small group discussion:

The following key points emerged out of the discussion:



At risk groups – includes women and children experiencing family violence, older single

women, young people in out of home care, larger CALD families.



Key challenges – services can’t meet demand, reduced housing affordability,

maintaining good mental health.



Social and economic factors – limited employment and education, gender inequality,

lack of social support, housing costs.



Policy factors – lack of government investment in social housing, insufficient income

support, regressive tax system, e.g. negative gearing.



Protective factors – community spirit, growing awareness, local jobs, future investment.



Solutions – coordinated approach, social inclusion, client-focus, more flexible housing

models with support (Housing First), whole of Council approach.

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A more detailed summary of the key themes to emerge from the Brimbank Homelessness

Forum is presented at Appendix C.

Through a series of group and one-on-one meetings, over 20 staff members were engaged in

the development of this report. This included staff across a wide range of Council services

including:



Community Care



Leisure and Community Services



City Planning



City Strategy



City Compliance



Building Services and

Environmental Health



Urban Design



Libraries and Neighbourhood Hubs



Community Planning and Advocacy

Through these discussions, it was clear that many Council services have a direct interest and

involvement with people either at risk or experiencing homelessness. For example, library staff

and parks and gardens staff are in regular contact with people sleeping rough. Staff in youth

services, Neighbourhood Houses and maternal health services also provide support services to

people in severely overcrowded dwellings. Additionally, youth services staff have also

supported locally-based research into homelessness (see Thielking, 2016).

Based on these conversations, it is evident that there are multiple touch points on a daily basis

between Council services and those without safe and secure housing. While Brimbank Council

doesn’t have a specific service to assist people in housing crisis (as is the case with neighbouring

Melton Council), the high rates of homelessness across Brimbank mean that Council services

are regularly in contact with people in need.

The key issues identified through these consultation processes included:



a detailed knowledge of where people are sleeping rough across the municipality (via

the Parks and Gardens team), representing intelligence that could be extremely useful in

supporting the 2021 Census collection process



the need for an internal process by which Council officers can centrally report

information about homelessness, and provide appropriate referral information to local

services



an interest in ways that Council can ensure its design and delivery of public

infrastructure (such as access to shelter, showers, community and recreational facilities)

can support the needs of people experiencing rough sleeping or other forms of

homelessness



opportunities for Council planning decisions to address supply of additional affordable

housing, through mechanisms such as inclusionary zoning, developer contributions, or

nomination of unused Council land for contribution to affordable housing

developments.



interest in the adoption of a ‘protocol for supporting people experiencing homelessness’

so that all Council officers are aware of their role and opportunity for supporting citizens

that they identify as being in need; this also includes an understanding of local services

that they can refer people to, and a better understanding of the needs and causal

factors for those experiencing different types of homelessness.

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9. Key findings

This project has revealed a range of insights into homelessness in Brimbank and across

surrounding municipalities. The key findings of this report are as follows:

Brimbank has the highest incidence of homelessness in Melbourne’s west



According to the 2016 Census, a total of 1,460 people experienced homelessness in

Brimbank.



This represents an increase of 30 per cent since 2011 and is the highest total in

Melbourne’s west.

There is a lack of data on rough sleeping in Brimbank



Limitations in data collection mean that there were no instances of sleeping rough in

Brimbank recorded during the 2016 Census. However, feedback from Council staff and

local service providers suggest that rough sleeping does occur in Brimbank.



Estimates based on Victorian data suggest that 70 to 100 people may be sleeping rough

in Brimbank on any given night.



Without adequate data on the incidence of rough sleeping, Brimbank is unlikely to

receive adequate resources from other levels of government.

The specialist homelessness service system is significantly overstretched in Brimbank and the

western region



Brimbank has largest number of people accessing specialist homelessness services and

second highest per head of population.



There are now fewer access points when demand is growing, leading to more people

sleeping rough and visible homelessness.

The lack of emergency accommodation is likely to lead to an increase in homelessness and

rough sleeping



Brimbank has the second highest rate of unmet demand in Melbourne’s west for

women and children experiencing family violence.



Lack of options has increased reliance on hotels and rooming houses, while poor quality

has led to a boycott of some providers and some clients actually preferring to sleep

rough.

Families in overcrowded dwellings at great risk



Over two-thirds of homelessness in Brimbank is experienced as ‘severe overcrowding’

and almost all examples of marginal housing are due to overcrowding.



Key factors associated with overcrowding include diminished housing affordability,

socioeconomic disadvantage and people born overseas.



Overcrowding creates significant social, economic and health risks for families, which

are exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Homelessness impacts many Council services



Many Council services have touch points with people experiencing homelessness so it is

valuable to have an integrated and coordinated whole of council approach.

A regional response is needed to complement local initiatives



There is significant benefit in working with other councils (particularly on advocacy),

given that homelessness does not start and finish at LGA boundaries and many

government-funded services operate on a regional basis.

There are a range of responses available to Council to respond to homelessness



Brimbank can draw on best practice examples from local government to develop an

implementation plan that will respond in a planned and coordinated way to the local

experience of homelessness.

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10. Recommendations

Based on the material collected, reviewed and analysed for this project, the following are the

key recommendations for future action by Brimbank City Council to address the current and

future needs of people experiencing homelessness in the municipality and across the broader

western region. It is organised in terms of short-term actions that can be enacted over the next

6-12 months, alongside medium-longer term actions and strategies.

Short term

Recommendation 1 Develop an

implementation plan

to guide actions over the next three to

five years in response to the recommendations arising from this report.

Council should also consider endorsing a

Statement of Commitment

to

show leadership and outline its ongoing commitment in responding to

homelessness. Both the implementation plan and Statement of

Commitment would be most effectively achieved through engagement

with all relevant stakeholders including the Department of Health and

Human Services, the Western Homelessness Network, specialist

homelessness services, other health and community services, businesses

and community groups.

Recommendation 2 Establish a

Council protocol

on responding to people experiencing

homelessness to provide a more consistent response across all Council

services and support all Council staff in understanding how to best

respond in a respectful manner.

Recommendation 3 Develop a module of

Homelessness Training

for Council staff and local

business to deliver improved understanding of homelessness across all

parts of the organisation and the local community.

Recommendation 4 Develop an

online and printable resource

with information about local

services and support available, including emergency relief, material aid,

food services and mainstream supports, alongside clear information on

specialist homelessness services access points.

Recommendation 5 Deliver and support

advocacy activities

to reduce the incidence and

impact of homelessness in Brimbank by focussing on a range of issues

such as additional emergency accommodation options, improved

income support, better protection for rental tenants, and extended out

of-home care.

Recommendation 6 Raise

community awareness about homelessness

, including prevalence,

causal factors and existing responses available. Investigate ways of

educating local businesses and community organisations about best

practice ways to respond to homelessness.

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Recommendation 7 Engage with State Government and local community housing providers

to

investigate ways of increasing the supply of social and affordable

housing

, including through partnerships and advocacy for increased

government funding to significantly increase supply.

Medium to Long term

Recommendation 8 Develop

improved data on the incidence of rough sleeping

in the

municipality by:

•

actively contributing to planning activities for the 2021 ABS

Census of Population and Housing

•

participating in the bi-annual StreetCount with Inner Melbourne

Action Plan (IMAP) Councils.

Recommendation 9 Investigate

expanding the use of current and future Council facilities

for people experiencing homelessness, including making existing

infrastructure more welcoming and accessible to vulnerable members of

the community, and promoting social inclusion through better use of

existing resources that may be underutilised after hours/weekends.

Recommendation 10 Investigate

enhanced early Intervention through Council services for

children and young people

that responds directly to the local profile of

high numbers of people in overcrowded and severely overcrowded

dwellings.

Recommendation 11 Advocate for further

research on overcrowded dwellings

within the

local community, particularly in light of the impact of COVID-19. To date,

there has been minimal research or evidence produced at the local level

(or even statewide or nationally) about appropriate responses.

Potentially partner with other western region councils who are dealing

with severe overcrowding issues to investigate similarities/differences

and appropriate localised responses.

Recommendation 12 Investigate and prioritise

measures within Council’s powers to increase

the supply of affordable housing

in Brimbank, including advocacy,

research, policy development, and partnerships with key stakeholders.

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11. References

.id, n.d.

, https://atlas.id.com.au/brimbank, accessed April 2020

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018,

Cat. No. 2049.0, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra.

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014,

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Canberra, Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011, 2

, Canberra.

Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, 2020,

AHURI, accessed March 2020 https://www.ahuri.edu.au/policy/ahuri

briefs/What-role-can-local-government-play-in-delivering-affordable-housing

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https://www.ahuri.edu.au/policy/ahuri-briefs/Understanding

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, 36:1, 1-24, DOI: 10.1080/14036096.2017.1408678

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Brimbank City Council, 2020, Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness in Victoria – Submission from

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ictoria/Submissions/S166_-_Brimbank_City_Council_Redacted.pdf

Chamberlain and Mackenzie, 2011 (unpub.), Homelessness in rural and regional Victoria: a report

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City of Ballarat, 2018,

accessed March 2020,

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homeless or at risk of homelessness, City of Boroondara, accessed December 2019,

https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-01/Boroondara-Homelessness-Protocol-

2017.pdf

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City of Melbourne, 2019,

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accessed February 2020,

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extreme-hot-weather.aspx

City of Melbourne, 2019,

accessed November 2019,

City of Melbourne, 2018, Street Count records 392 rough sleepers in inner Melbourne,

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inner-melbourne.aspx, accessed March 2020.

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City of Melbourne, accessed

November 2019, https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/heatwaves

homelessness.pdf

City of Parramatta, 2017,

City of Parramatta,

City of Port Phillip, n.d., ‘Think & Act: Homelessness Action Strategy 2015-2020’, City of Port Phillip,

accessed January 2020,

http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/CITP16656_Homelessness_Strategy_WEB_v2.pdf

City of Yarra, 2019,

accessed

February 2020, https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/hdp.au.prod.app.yrra

yoursay.files/6015/7413/8335/Social_and_Affordable_Housing_Strategy_2019.pdf

City of Yarra, 2019, ‘Homelessness Strategy 2020-2023: background and discussion paper, City of Yarra.

City of Yarra, 2017, ‘How to respond to rough sleeping and squatting in Yarra’, protocol document,

accessed February 2020, https://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au › files › the-area › diversity-and-inclusion

Department of Social Services, 2020,

Australian Government, accessed February 2020, https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/safe

places-emergency-accommodation

Council of Capital City Lord Mayors, 2019, Homelessness in Australian Capital Cities: A Capital Concern,

accessed February 2020,

https://www.lordmayors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Capital-Concern-Homelessness-in

Australian-Capital.pdf

Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2020,

accessed April 2020,

https://docs.employment.gov.au/documents/lga-data

tables-small-area-labour-markets-december-quarter-2019

Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.

, https://www.housing.vic.gov.au/social

housing, accessed April 2020

Department of Health and Human Services, 2019,

State Government, accessed February

2020, https://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/publications/rental-report,

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Department of Health and Human Services, 2018,

, Victorian Government, Melbourne.

Gay and Lesbian Foundation of Australia (2017) ‘LGBTQ Homelessness: Risks, Resilience, and Access to

Services in Victoria’. Available at: http://www.lgbtihomeless.org.au/research-and-policy/reports/

(accessed 10 Oct 2019).

Greater Dandenong, n.d.

accessed April 2020,

https://greaterdandenong.com/document/18464/statistical-data-for-victorian-communities

Government of South Australia, 2019,

accessed March 2020,

Herath S and R Bentley, 2017,

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9345/0e5fb1a6f4f962faf7386610baace29431b8.pdf?_ga=2.13224474

9.240929507.1586489140-1218230424.1586489140

Homelessness Australia, 2017,

accessed February

2020, https://www.homelessnessaustralia.org.au/sites/homelessnessaus/files/2018-

11/2017%20HA%20Position%20Paper%20-%20FINAL_0.pdf

Johnson G and J Watson, 2018, Diversity and Complexity: examining the characteristics of ‘at risk’ and

homeless households in Melbourne’s West, Unison Housing Research Lab, RMIT University, accessed

March 2020

https://unison.org.au/cms_uploads/docs/6075--unison--rmit-research-report-no-1--diversity-and

complexity-(web-ready).pdf

Launch Housing, 2018, Australian Homelessness Monitor 2018,

https://www.launchhousing.org.au/site/wp

content/uploads/2018/05/LaunchHousing_AHM2018_Report.pdf

Launch Housing’s ‘Explainer: The homelessness services system and demand for services’. accessed

February 2020, https://www.launchhousing.org.au/explainer-the-homelessness-services-system-and

demand-for-services/

Lawson J, Pawson H, Troy L , van den Nouwelant R and C Hamilton, 2018,

AHURI Final Report No. 306, Melbourne.

Municipal Association of Victoria, 2020,

accessed March 2020, https://www.mav.asn.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/24621/Submission-to-the

Parliamentary-inquiry-into-homelessness-30-January-2020.pdf

New South Wales Government, 2019, ‘Protocol for Homeless People in Public Places’, Family and

Community Services, Housing NSW, originally published 2012 and updated October 2019, accessed

December 2019, https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/providers/funded/programs/homelessness/specialist

services/partnerships/safe-in-public/protocol

New South Wales Government, 2018,

, accessed February 2020,

https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/about/reforms/homelessness

New South Wales Government, 2013, ‘Protocol for Homeless People in Public Places: Guidelines for

Implementation’, Family and Community Services, Housing NSW, accessed November 2019,

https://www.housing.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/326046/ImplementationGuidelines.pdf

Nicholson T, 2017,

Department of Health and Human Services,

Victoria, accessed February 2020,

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Page | 52

https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/201709/Rough%20Sleeping%20in%20Victor

ia%20-%20Situation%20Appraisal.pdf

North and West Homelessness Networks, 2019,

, accessed November 2019,

http://www.nwhn.net.au/Crisis-in-Crisis.aspx

Palm M, Rayor K and C Whitzman, 2018,

University of Melbourne, accessed March 2020,

https://msd.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/2876008/Project-3000-Producing-Social-and

Affordable-Housing-on-Government-Land.pdf

Parliamentary Library and Information Services, 2017,

Department of Parliamentary Services, Parliament of Victoria, accessed November 2019,

https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/publications/research-papers/download/36-research

papers/13840-housing-affordability-in-victoria

Prance F, Beer A and Horne S, 2013,

Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, The University of Adelaide,

accessed January 2020, https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2013-05/apo-nid68485.pdf

Productivity Commission, 2020, Report on Government Services: Chapter 19 – Homelessness Services,

Australian Government, Canberra, accessed February 2020,

https://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2020/housing-and

homelessness/homelessness-services

Randwick City Council, n.d.,

Randwick City Council, accessed January 2020,

https://www.randwick.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/13698/Randwick-City-Homelessness

Protocol.pdf

Shearer G, 2019,

Swinburne University of Technology, prepared for Victorian Parliamentary Library on

behalf of Ms Katie Hall MP for Footscray.

Thielking, M. (2016) Young People’s Perceptions of Student Homelessness in Brimbank Secondary

Schools, Report prepared by Swinburne University for Brimbank City Council.

Victorian Government, 2018,

Department of

Health and Human Services, State Government, accessed November 2019,

https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/201802/Rough%20Sleeping%20Action%20P

lan_20180207.pdf

Western Homelessness Network, 2019,

, accessed February

2020, http://www.nwhn.net.au/admin/file/content2/c7/Ending%20Homelessness%20in%20Melbourne's%20

West%20Aug%202019_1571202882052.pdf

Wood G, Batterham D, Cigdem M & Mallet S 2015. The structural drivers of homelessness in Australia

2001–11. AHURI final report no. 238. Melbourne: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

accessed February 2020,

https://www.ahuri.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/2183/AHURI_Final_Report_No238_The

structural-drivers-of-homelessness-in-Australia-2001-11.pdf

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12. Appendices

APPENDIX A: StreetCount 2018 – example of City of Melbourne Fact Sheet

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APPENDIX B: Summary of interview questions - people with lived experience of homelessness

QUESTION

1. How long have you been living/staying in the Brimbank area (Sydenham, Keilor, St

Albans, Deer Park, Sunshine, Braybrook)?

2. What’s your connection to the area (i.e. have you always lived here, just moved here

from somewhere else, got family or friends in the area etc)?

2a. If you’ve lived here a long time, do you think Brimbank has changed much over

the last 5-10 years? If so, how do you think it has changed?

3. Have you asked for help from any of the support services in this area?

3a. If yes, how did you find out about these services?

3b. If yes, what sort of services or supports were you given?

3c. If yes, what did you think of the services provided? Were they able to give you

the help you needed?

3d. If you haven’t used any support services, why not?

4. What are the things that would be of most help for you to move out of homelessness?

(e.g. affordable housing, mental health services, alcohol/drug services,

employment/income security, etc)

5. What things are the most difficult to get help with in moving out of homelessness? (i.e.

what is the thing that you need but is never on offer?)

6. Do you ever use any of the following Council services:



library (either for reading, recreation or shelter)



recreational facilities (swimming pools, parks, youth services, aged care services)



community centres or Neighbourhood House



other Council services?

7. Would you like to see Council do more to help people without secure housing in

Brimbank?

8a. If yes, what sort of things do you think Council could do?

8b. If not, why not? Who else do you think should be helping people in need?

8. If you could sit down with the Mayor of Brimbank or any of the Councillors, what would

you say to them about your situation and how you would like them to help?

9. Is there anything else you would like to say about your situation of homelessness and

what could be done to help you and others in your situation?

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APPENDIX C: Outcomes from Brimbank Homelessness Forum – Ideas for consideration

In response to questions about the policies and practices that could be considered to improve

the current situation in Brimbank, the following themes and priorities were emerged:

Additional housing supply:



Housing First Models – these can work very well, but need a lot of investment (housing, services)



Dwelling modifications – make it easier to convert house to accommodate more people, e.g.

garage, granny flat (for family members and others); advantage of being a market driven approach

and can help people to avoid mortgage stress



Increased % of public housing in specific areas



Different housing types, e.g. low cost and portable options (shipping containers), relax planning

system to allow ‘as of right’ use, use of former school sites for social housing



Use family and relations to provide housing



Providing units and housing stock



Create a local housing authority; employ social housing workers



Refurbish a warehouse for crisis accommodation



Council can play a role in city/community planning – e.g. setting a minimum quota of building social

housing, ‘inclusionary zoning’



Vacant land tax? Making owners of properties accountable – useful properties that contribute to

community



Long term tenancy options (look at UK and European models)



Incentives for landlords to rent to homeless with no housing record



PRAP – Private Rental Assistance Program – extend and secure permanent funding



Head lease models e.g. Launch Housing



VicRoads land used for small single person housing



Maximising existing public housing sites, e.g. Olympia Housing Initiative



Lifting quality of housing and integration with other housing



Share purchasing for low income owners, e.g. Co-housing (see example, Murundaka Cohousing)

Sector development/support



Lots of goodwill in the sector -> we just need the tools, needs to be harnessed



West Justice – mortgage relief program, early prevention program, can be expanded



LASN – 6 weekly info sharing, clearinghouse, educating sector



Partnerships within services and housing as an integrated response



Become more client focused, where all services chip in to fill in the gaps

Family violence initiatives



‘One stop shop’ hubs, e.g. Orange Door model to address family violence



↑

referrals to WHW from police of people experiencing family violence



Responding better to domestic violence and historical family violence



Education – council staff, community knowing what help is out there and where to go (how to have

discussion with community around referrals, and what is homelessness?)

Innovation



Look at innovative partnerships involving government, philanthropic orgs, e.g. Ozanam House

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

Awareness – recent performance of UnHOWsed shows how the arts can change attitudes and

reduce stigma

PRIORITIES



Coordinated approach – maintain working relationships, look for collaboration, implement ideas,

focus on the most disadvantaged groups



Increase affordable housing (need different housing options to meet different needs at different life

stages and circumstances, including Head lease model)



Address determinants of health inequality, e.g. gender, education, employment (social inclusion

approach)



Provide greater links to employment

Other ideas



More Housing – aiming for 30-40% of rental income as a maximum – need more in all categories of

affordable housing



Recommend changes to service system to put people at the centre – as seen in the Journey to

Social Inclusion Research (Swinburne)



Work and study – difficult to focus on these if housing is an issue (social determinants approach)



Look at opportunities from social procurement in Vic Gov infrastructure projects



Early intervention for young people in education settings



Provide housing and crisis accommodation



Provide safe storage lockers in public places, e.g. train station



Provide access to kitchen, e.g. STACC, Visy Hub, Neighbourhood House (evening access, specialised

support)



Provide access to bathrooms and showers



Grants/waive fees – to subdivide properties or build ‘granny flats’ or split large house into two



Consider rates concessions for properties with two units (currently, pay rates on both properties)



Council can buy land and build properties that can be used as social housing and to bring back

balance in the market



Lobby for funding



Educate developers



Better link housing and employment support



Advocacy for political pressure – political pressure through emotive community campaigning

PRIORITIES

Increase understanding of homelessness (all segments)



increase community understanding of homelessness/poverty and where to go for help/support



continue to destigmatise homelessness



Campaign to shift community understanding of homelessness and contributing factors



Shifting the community perceptions of the ‘services’ which are provided to decrease the

pressure and the one stop fix - reality is they can’t meet demand

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Increase Council’s role



Developing a homelessness vision and action plan – all areas of Council to be addressing

homelessness



Council leadership in advocacy, support what emerges from this project (take the politics out of

it!), look at Inclusionary Zoning, Advocacy to State/Fed Govt – hold them to account



Work across Council departments, e.g. Community Care, Economic Development, Policy and

Planning



Have a person/role that is a bridge between Council and community organisations

Partnerships/Coordination



Council facilitate a network meeting – community-based organisations to discuss trends/gaps –

AOD Network meetings exists – Council needs to be involved



Make the most of services being based close together (refer to other organisations, settlement

workers, community groups)



Use Social Justice Coalition to drive partnerships (output focus)



Look at research – Integrated Services, AHURI

-

health and human services response

(leadership, investment, shared vision)



Use client-based voice to drive service improvements – have a voice, sense of purpose,

participation, human rights, health equity



Engage stakeholders -> No silos!

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Page 1 of 3

Homelessness Research Project: Implementation Plan

This implementation plan outlines the key actions that Brimbank City Council will undertake in response to the recommendations

proposed in the Homelessness Research Project. The implementation plan is aligned with Council’s Coronavirus (COVID—19) Response

and Recovery Strategy. Actions are separated into three time-based categories: ‘Response and Recovery Initiatives’ (2020-21), ‘Medium to

Long term initiatives’ (2021-22 and beyond), and ‘Ongoing initiatives’.

The implementation plan represents a broad ‘statement of commitment’ from Council to support people experiencing homelessness in

Brimbank, as recommended in the Homelessness Research Report. It takes account of the various roles that Council can play in adopting a

more integrated, flexible and coordinated approach to preventing and responding to homelessness in Brimbank.

Action

Council Role Intended Outcome

Key Stakeholders

Resources

Write to Federal and State Housing Ministers, as well as

all local Members of Parliament, to forward a copy of

the Research Report, offer to brief them on its key

findings, and seek their support to deliver on its

Recommendations, particularly in the context of any

potential COVID-19 recovery funding and program

opportunities.

Lead and

Represent

Federal and State governments are aware

of the key homelessness issues in Brimbank

when planning future stimulus and

recovery packages

State and Federal MPs

Within

existing

resources

Write to relevant peak bodies to share the Research

Report’s key findings and recommendations,

and highlight future joint advocacy activities.

Partner and

Advocate

Relevant peak bodies are aware of the key

issues in Brimbank, and Council is better

connected to contribute to future advocacy

activities.

Homelessness Networks

Peak bodies, e.g. VCOSS,

Council to Homeless Persons,

Alliance to End Homelessness

Within

existing

resources

Medium to Long Term

Initiatives

Ongoing

Initiatives

2020-21

2021-22

and beyond

Response and Recovery

Initiatives

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Page 2 of 3

Action

Council Role Intended Outcome

Key Stakeholders

Resources

Work with service providers and other stakeholders to

understand and respond to the ongoing impact of the

COVID-19 crisis on people experiencing (or at risk of)

homelessness, e.g. collect and collate data, support

funding applications, coordinate local initiatives

Partner and

Advocate

Council, service providers and other

stakeholders have an increased

understanding of the local impact of the

COVID-19 crisis on people experiencing and

at risk of homelessness

Service providers

Government agencies

Homelessness Networks

Other Councils

Within

existing

resources

Develop an online and printable resource with

information about local services and support available

Partner and

Advocate

Council and the community is better

informed about available services and

available support

Service providers

Homelessness Networks

Government agencies

Other Councils

Within

existing

resources

Establish integrated, flexible and coordinated Council

protocols for engaging and supporting people

experiencing homelessness

Provide

Services

Council staff are better prepared to engage

and support people experiencing

homelessness

Service providers

Council to Homeless Persons

Council staff

Within

existing

resources

Commence planning to develop a module of

Homelessness Training for Council staff and local

business

Provide

Services

Council staff and local business have

increased understanding of how to support

people experiencing homelessness

Service providers

Council to Homeless Persons

Local businesses

Subject to

annual

budget

process

Investigate how Council and other public facilities may

be used to assist people experiencing homelessness to

access supports such as toilets, showers, storage, food

preparation, internet etc.

Fund and

Resource

Council facilities have examined options to

expanding access for people experiencing

homelessness

Council facilities

Community groups

Sports clubs

Within

existing

resources

Deliver and support formal data collection activities

(such as the 2021 Census and IMAP Street Count) to

improve data on the incidence of rough sleeping in the

municipality

Partner and

Advocate

More accurate data is available on

homelessness in Brimbank; state and

federal governments are better informed

when making funding decisions

Australian Bureau of Statistics

Inner Melbourne Action Plan

(IMAP) Councils

Homelessness Networks

Service Providers

Subject to

annual

budget

process

Investigate enhanced early intervention through Council

services for children and young people

Provide

Services

Council services have examined options for

delivering enhanced early intervention

activities to reduce the incidence and

impact of homelessness

Relevant Council departments

Service providers

Government agencies

Community facilities

Within

existing

resources

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Page 3 of 3

Action

Council Role Intended Outcome

Key Stakeholders

Resources

Advocate for further research on overcrowded dwellings

within the local community

Partner and

Advocate

Council and other stakeholders have

improved understanding of the incidence

and impact of overcrowding

Research organisations, e.g.

ABS, AHURI, Universities

Other Councils

Within

existing

resources

Investigate and prioritise measures within Council’s

powers to increase the supply of social and affordable

housing

Plan and

Regulate

Councils has clarified its role and identified

measures to encourage increased supply of

social and affordable housing

Developers

Community Housing Providers

State Government agencies

Within

existing

resources

Undertake advocacy to prevent and reduce the incidence

and impact of homelessness in Brimbank.

Lead and

Represent

Federal and State governments have

increased understanding of issues in

Brimbank; additional resources are

allocated to Brimbank in future

Service providers

State and Federal MPs

Government agencies

Homelessness Networks

Other Councils

Within

existing

resources

Raise community awareness about homelessness,

including prevalence, causal factors and existing

responses available

Partner and

Advocate

Community has improved understanding of

causes and responses to homelessness

Community groups

Sports Clubs

Council to Homeless Persons

Service Providers

Community facilities

Within

existing

Resources

Engage with State Government and community housing

providers to investigate ways of increasing the supply of

social and affordable housing

Lead and

Represent

Council has an improved understanding of

its role in encouraging increased supply of

social and affordable housing

State MPs

State Government agencies

Community Housing Providers

Other Councils

Within

existing

resources

Monitor the outcomes of the Parliamentary Inquiry into

Homelessness in Victoria to inform future actions.

Partner and

Advocate

Outcomes of the Parliamentary Inquiry are

considered by Council when planning and

implementing actions

Parliamentary Inquiry into

Homelessness in Victoria

State MPs

Within

existing

resources

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Attachment 12.8.2