Cook Government announces nearly $50 million in new funding support for homelessness support services

• Cook Labor Government provides $47.6 million funding extension of critical homelessness services
• Boost represents a 23 per cent increase to baseline funding for the delivery of homelessness services
• Part of Cook Labor Government's record $2.6 billion investment in housing and homelessness measures

The Cook Government has announced $47.6 million in new funding to enable the continuation of 15 critical homelessness services across Western Australia and boost service capacity.

As part of the package, $34.2 million in recurrent funding is being provided to four successful homelessness programs introduced by the Cook Government to provide long term certainty and includes:

• $20.1 million for continuation of culturally appropriate responses to homelessness in the Perth metropolitan area, including low-barrier accommodation at Boorloo Bidee Mia delivered by the Wungening Aboriginal Corporation, and Koort Boodja delivered by Uniting WA;
• $7.8 million for the Homelessness Engagement Assessment Response Team (HEART) to continue its Perth metropolitan coordinated outreach response services, including extensions of the service to Joondalup and Midland; and
• $5.4 million for the Safe Perth City Initiative to provide dedicated rapid and flexible assertive outreach support services in the Perth CBD and surrounds including Return to Country functions.

In addition, $900,000 will be provided to the Passages Youth Centre in the Peel region, run by St Vincent de Paul, for ongoing operational funding to support at risk youth. Passages is a youth engagement hub providing young people aged 12 to 25 with a safe, friendly and positive place to access support and referrals to essential services.

The Cook Government is also boosting baseline funding for 10 services by $13.4 million for at least the next three years, including:

• $5.73 million to multiple St Bartholomew services;
• $2.25 million for Uniting WA's Tranby Engagement Hub;
• $1.8 million for Anglicare's Foyer Oxford youth accommodation facility;
• $900,000 to Salvation Army's The Beacon accommodation facility;
• $900,000  to St Vincent De Paul's Tom Fisher House;
• $600,000 to the Fusion youth accommodation facility; and
• $300,000 to Accordwest's Collie Crisis and Transitional accommodation.

These services now have secure and ongoing funding to continue to deliver additional capacity in critical accommodation and hub services.

The funding boost will also provide an additional $900,000 to the WA Alliance to End Homelessness' By-Name List which is providing up-to-date data on rough sleepers, assisting support services to link people to appropriate services and to best inform practical policy outcomes.

Comments attributed to Housing; Homelessness Minister John Carey:

"The Cook Government is investing an unprecedented $2.6 billion in housing and homelessness measures and this $47.6 million funding secures continuation of critical homelessness services.

"This $47.6 million in new funding secures the long-term future of these critical homelessness accommodation providers or Hub and support services and will enhance service delivery throughout Western Australia.

"As Homelessness Minister, I have been very clear – my immediate focus is on housing and accommodation for people who are experiencing homelessness, and ensuring they have access to the support they need and this funding ensures ongoing provision of vital services, accommodation and support.

"This financial year alone our Government is providing $225 million to address homelessness, which includes funding for 130 services to deliver critical homelessness services across WA.

"As a Government, we have prioritised a Housing First Approach in line with the All Paths Lead to a Home, WA's first 10-year strategy on homelessness, which prioritises providing stable accommodation to rough sleepers while ensuring they have the wrap-around supports they need to sustain their tenancy.

"Our Government recognises the value of regular and up to date data to track rough sleeping in our community, which is why we continue to invest significantly in the By Name List and the Zero Project.

"Through our boosted outreach services, we've been actively working to get more people onto the By Name List and to ensure vulnerable individuals, who may be rough sleeping, have contact with and access to relevant support services.

"The supportive landlord approach that is being successfully piloted through Djuripiny Mia, under a landmark partnership with Housing Choices, aims to deliver 100 social homes across Perth, Peel, and Bunbury. Since its inception, the program has delivered 74 social homes, and is accommodating more than 110 people who were experiencing chronic rough sleeping."