Tackling homelessness plan win

Inner West Council has won the Community Partnerships and Collaboration Local Government Excellence Award for its homelessness outreach program.
The program is a collaboration between the council and a range of homelessness services and state government agencies. Initiatives include multi-agency outreach teams walking the streets and parks and helping dozens of people to move into their own home; two videos that increase community awareness about homelessness, and encouraging residents to contact Missionbeat if they observe anyone sleeping rough who requires assistance; and the annual Homelessness Street Count which this year found 30 people rough-sleeping and estimated 66 people staying in temporary and crisis accommodation in the Inner West.
Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne says council staff have been doing great work in combatting homelessness.
“Homelessness is a significant and growing issue in the community and takes many forms including sleeping rough, couch surfing and staying in unstable or overcrowded accommodation,” Mayor Byrne said.
“We know the drivers of homelessness include a shortage of stable and affordable housing, family violence, long-term unemployment, family breakdown, mental illness and drug and alcohol abuse.
“That’s why this multi-agency work is so necessary and so successful – because they are taking a really layered, nuanced, multi-pronged approach,” he said.