Major homelessness initiative provides assistance for rough sleepers
Published on 21 March 2022
A major initiative to address homelessness is providing vital assistance to rough sleepers in Frankston City.
Frankston Zero was established by the Frankston City Strategic Housing and Homelessness Alliance (Strategic Alliance) – a strategic collaboration of 14 agencies.
Chair Jackie Galloway said since its inception Frankston Zero has provided support across a multiple service system to 104 people sleeping rough in the municipality, successfully rehousing 10 people.
“The initiative brings together key partner organisations who are working collectively to end homelessness in the City of Frankston. Frankston Zero is focusing on rough sleeping, the most exposed and precarious form of homelessness,” she said.
A rough sleeper, who received life changing assistance from Frankston Zero, said: “Without you I would be nowhere. I will never be in that position again now that I am safe where I am.”
Mayor Nathan Conroy said Frankston Zero was launched in August 2021 and is running well as a coordinated homelessness response, with information and resources shared between partner agencies.
“The State Government has offered continued funding for local Assertive Housing and Supportive Housing Teams (Launch Housing and Neami National) for an additional two to four years. This was a crucial enabler for the delivery of Frankston Zero.
“The availability of and access to safe, appropriate, affordable housing remains the major challenge in supporting people who are experiencing homelessness and is the reason why these housing outcome figures are not higher,” the Mayor said.
Strategic Alliance Chair and Council Director Communities, Angela Hughes, said in 2017 the Victorian Government officially recognised Frankston City as one of nine rough sleeper ‘hot spots’ in Victoria.
“Homelessness rates in Frankston City are growing and impacting different groups of people, resulting from a range of complex and intersecting social, economic and housing market factors.
“Rapidly rising housing costs and inadequate supplies of social and affordable housing mean that many households are living in housing stress, which occurs when property costs exceed 30 per cent of household income among those on a low income – and in turn increases their risk of homelessness.
“The dominant form of housing stress in Frankston City is rental stress, with 35.4 per cent living in rental stress, compared to 31.8 per cent for Greater Melbourne. The majority of people living in rental stress were on very low incomes,” she said.
Ms Hughes said Frankston Zero – based on international best practice models to end homelessness – has reoriented the local service system to deliver a coordinated response for people sleeping rough.
“Frankston Zero operates beyond traditional funding models and includes holistic support including mental health, family violence and trauma support, while working with the person to find secure housing.
“The Strategic Alliance is committed to working together to address the continued homelessness pressures within Frankston City,” she said.
For more information about Frankston Zero, please visit https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/Advocacy/Tackling-Homelessness-in-Frankston-City