Rough sleepers, young people and victims of domestic violence at risk of becoming homeless on the Central Coast, will receive tailored support to find stability and improve their lives, under the NSW Government’s Homelessness Strategy.
Member for Terrigal, Mr Adam Crouch, said the 2018 NSW Budget commits over $1b for homelessness services, over the next four years, to support new and existing initiatives across NSW. “That includes $6m of new funding over the next four years to implement the Homelessness Strategy, with more assertive outreach services for rough sleepers, strengthened risk assessment to address the underlying complexity behind each person’s homelessness, and more support to maintain a tenancy.
“Last year, we provided more support packages for people sleeping rough, and this year we are investing an additional $9m to provide more transitional accommodation across the state,” Mr Crouch said. “Total homelessness funding for the Central Coast district was at $5.4m in 2013/14, which has almost doubled to $10.6m in 2017/18.
“This record level of funding is helping people on the Central Coast to better maintain tenancies, access vital support and avoid homelessness.” Minister for Family and Community Services and Social Housing, Ms Pru Goward, said the Strategy will introduce assertive outreach work in more locations. “Through outreach in the inner city, we have already been able to help more than 230 people sleeping rough into housing,” Ms Goward said. “We will continue to be proactive in the way we engage and build trust and relationships with people sleeping rough. “We know we cannot rely on people coming to us, we have to go to them,” she concluded.
Source: Media release, Jun 12 Ben Sheath, Office of Adam Crouch
Image: Homelessness NSW