Housing Stimulus to benefit homeless
Labor HQ
posted Monday, 21 December 2009
The Rudd Government today
announced that at least 50 per cent of new social housing units delivered under
the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan will be provided to homeless
Australians, or those at risk of homelessness.
The announcement was made
on the first anniversary of the launch of the Australian Government's
Homelessness White Paper.
"Through the White Paper we
have made reducing homelessness a national priority," Minister for Housing Tanya
Plibersek said.
"Now I am pleased to
announce that the States and Territories are on track to allocate more than 50
per cent of new social housing homes to homeless Australians, or those at risk
of homelessness.
"The Rudd Government's
record investment in social housing means a home for close to 10,000 Australian
households who had previously been homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Of the 19,200 new homes to
be built from
Nation
Building funds, 5,690 homes are already
under construction. Three quarters of these homes will be completed by December
2010.
"The ABS estimates that on
any given night, there are 105,000 homeless people in
Australia. Reducing homelessness will
take a sustained effort by all levels of government, business, charities and the
community," Ms Plibersek said.
"The Government's White
Paper on Homelessness found that
Australia needs more social housing
as well as new services that specifically target specific groups of people who
are homeless.
"One year on, much progress
has been made: more homes for homeless people, reforms to improve existing
services and new funding for additional services so that when homeless people
are housed they stay housed."
In addition to the new
social housing dwellings, there are 40 new specialist homelessness projects
across the country including:
- Eight new facilities for
single homeless people based on the Common Ground model that has been successful
inNew
York
- Three facilities providing
housing to young homeless people who agree to participate in education and
training - Two services targeting
older homeless people including people who have been long term rough
sleepers. - New housing for women and
children escaping domestic violence and a project to provide alternative
accommodation for perpetrators of violence so that women and children are able
to stay in the family home.
A
report, Along the Road Home, outlining what progress on commitments to combat
homelessness can be found www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/housing
Tags: Housing, Social Housing, Stimulus