Veteran Housing Australia’s Post

Ever wondered how people can avoid experiencing homelessness? The evidence is in. “Based on the best research evidence, here are some important steps you can take: Don’t grow up poor. Don’t be raised by parents who grew up poor. Don’t grow up with family conflict or emotional abuse. Don’t get sexually assaulted as a kid. Don’t get placed in foster care. Don’t fall in love with someone who becomes violent or controlling. Don’t have a serious accident, or become disabled, or mentally ill, or chronically ill (especially if you’re single). Also: don’t struggle to find secure, well-paid employment. Don’t get made redundant. Don’t experience discrimination. Don’t have limited support networks. Don’t be an older single woman with scant superannuation. Don’t lose your house in a bushfire or flood. And whatever you do, don’t double up on any of these risk factors.” #homelessness #sleepingrough #roughsleeping #butforthegraceofgodtheregoi

Professor Lisa Wood sets out a powerful case for real action on tackling homelessness now. We measure what matters. Do we not care about the hundreds of thousands sleeping rough, sleeping in old cars and small vans? The evidence suggests we don’t. Homeless people are in every Australian community in 2024. In my own village of Seventeen Seventy there are dozens living in mini tents, small cars and vans and boats that barely float. In the 15 years since Kevin Rudd committed to ending homelessness, the situation has significantly worsened. More mobile laundry services, more CEO Sleepouts or more soup vans won’t change the tragedy of homelessness. At best they can provide a moments respite from the misery of homelessness. Real leadership from the Federal Government, investment in social housing, accountability on states and territories and real reform on human services to provide integrated and person centred care is needed to end this misery for so many fellow Australians. Lisa Wood Meaghan Scanlon MP Emma McBride #homelessness #housingcrisis #inequality

Yes I’m an optimist. Change is possible. Worrying social problems such as homelessness hold the hand of many disadvantage levers and systemic failures. Imagine a world where leaders - focused on solutions for the good of all - adopted long term bipartisan solutions rather than ‘whack ‘em’ political slogas - increased funding for NGOs etc that focus on changing the systems that actually create the problems, rather than those that only offset the misery and treat the symptoms caused by existing systemic failure. - provided adequate funding to facilitate cross sector collaboration and made this a condition of funding - used metric to measure outcomes short and long term and stopped funding where improvements r not achieved. All these r achievable - start the conversations that explore sustainable ways to create lasting improvements for all. Advocate ! How could anyone not want this?

We're asking whoever wins the upcoming General Election to put tackling homelessness at the top of their agenda. Our asks offer short, medium and long term solutions to some of the causes and exacerbating factors of homelessness in the UK today. We have thought long and hard about what our guests tell us could make a difference, and what we perceive could be transformative for those facing homelessness, based on our frontline work. You can download a PDF version of our asks to share with your local candidates, or share this post to add your voice to the many calling for urgent action to tackle homelessness from whoever wins the next election. Why do we think there is a housing emergency? Why do we think this is such an important issue? 1. Almost 2 million (1-in-5) children are living in overcrowded, unaffordable or unsuitable homes.  2. 1 in 182 people in England are homeless today. 3. Homelessness has risen rapidly in just 12 months: over 3,000 people are sleeping rough on any given night (26% increase) and 279,400 are living in temporary accommodation (14% increase) - most of whom are families. 4. Government figures reveal that almost half (47%) of families who are homeless in temporary accommodation have been there for more than two years - telling us that the figures are not showing just brief dips into homelessness but chronic homelessness for many. 5. Day in day out we work with those who are doing everything they can, from attending therapy, to gaining new training, writing CVs and applying for countless jobs, to tackle any issues holding them back from 'beating' homelessness, only to find that despite their efforts there is no housing available for them. Help us to raise a collective voice in asking whoever wins power to prioritise this massive issue, and to take on board the advice of those of us working in homelessness.

When I learned to drive, a family member instructed me on what they coined “roll room:” leaving about six feet of space in front of my car at a stoplight so I could “roll” forward in case the homeless person on the corner tried to approach my window. There are constant narratives behind this reasoning, a self-comforting blanket we can throw over why we might cross the street to avoid walking too close to someone living on it, why we might avert eye contact or sit blankly as a person with a grocery cart of their belongings screams into the air, fighting a battle only visible to them. Stereotypes and stigma around homelessness often encompass drugs, PTSD and other mental illnesses, and systemic factors within the economy, government and society. “They’re just going to use the money for drugs;” “If they wanted to get help, they would;” these phrases might sound familiar to some. Passersby might contribute a smile, some food, a conversation and a few dollars, and some might devote their lives and careers to advocacy and activism for people experiencing homelessness. No matter the effort, however, one fact remains: the homeless population is growing. And while there is plenty of ongoing research as to why and what can be done to amend it, I feel as though sometimes the humanity can get lost in analytics and politics. Did anyone who was counted in the Point in Time Count ever play in AYSO? Did anyone of the 1,887 homeless individuals ever fall in love? Did the person who screams in the street ever race down them with their childhood friends? Turns out, some did. https://lnkd.in/gRDY3nSP

People and families experiencing homelessness are not criminals. The system that allows it is the problem. Poverty, low wages, racism, lack of housing units, high rents, and domestic abuse are significant factors in contributing to this national crisis. Yes, some individuals have mental illness and substance abuse issues, but here, too, it is the failure of the system to address these problems, not the individuals. The criminalization of poverty and homelessness is not the solution. https://lnkd.in/eHcpsWGF

It's disheartening to continue hearing rhetoric from elected officials that oversimplifies the complex issue of homelessness and dehumanizes those experiencing it. The idea that people can "get off your a-s-s and start working" ignores the systemic barriers and personal struggles many unhoused individuals face, including mental health challenges, trauma, and lack of access to basic necessities like stable housing. I recall speaking with a man at an extreme weather shelter one winter, who worked hard every day but had no place to call home. After a long day at his construction job, he would return to a tent to sleep, until one night it caught fire. His routine was grueling—up at 5 a.m., scrambling to find a place to clean up before heading to work, only to end the day completely drained because he couldn’t get proper rest. He had previously shared a home with his girlfriend, but when their relationship ended, he could no longer afford the rent and found himself unhoused again. His story is a stark reminder of how easily housing instability can happen, even to those working full-time. Addressing homelessness isn't as simple as filling out an application. It requires deeply affordable housing, community supports, and access to healthcare for those who are struggling. Reducing homelessness starts with understanding that people need stability before they can rebuild their lives—not judgment. Encampments exist because people don’t have safe alternatives. Rather than stigmatizing unhoused people, we should focus on creating real solutions that include housing, mental health services, and support systems. It's about dignity, choice, and meeting people where they are. We need compassion, not condemnation.

These would be monumental first steps to addressing this crisis! For the nay-sayers: there is research and best practice that demonstrate Housing First, done in a high fidelity model, along with adequate housing stock can solve this- that is fact based. Yes, it is going to cost a lot of money but there is already a ton of money pouring out the doors, it just isn’t being utilized correctly. It’s cheaper to house an individual than to to pay for the consequences- that is based on math. This crisis was created by the systems and systemic racism we have established over hundreds of years and it won’t fix itself. Let’s get the ship turned by supporting solutions that address the root of the problem. We need more thoughtful development of housing + truly affordable housing!

In the midst of Pgh's broader housing crisis, here is an article of efforts across the country to address older adults' particular needs in an effort to prevent eviction: https://lnkd.in/e5rBEjH7

The issue isn’t a lack of funding, it’s the organizations that receive the funding and the rules/restrictions attached. Instead of funding overnight shelters, compensate people when they take in family or friends. Homelessness is directly related social disconnection. Make it a requirement that health insurance plans pay medical bills and not dictate treatment and provider. The treatment for mental health and substance abuse doesn’t work. It makes no sense for CMS to pay only providers who are educated, trained, and licensed by the same method. You can’t do the same thing and expect different results. The people don’t need culturally appropriate care, it needs to culturally specific. Society’s problems need to be healed not treated. It means thinking in a new way about health, problems, and people.