Overview
Every day more than 37,000 people in NSW experience homelessness, and this figure is increasing. Having a safe and secure home is out of reach for too many.
The NSW Homelessness Strategy sets out the NSW Government’s plan for a new, comprehensive approach to prevent and improve the way we respond to homelessness. It sets the direction for the next five years.
An effective response to homelessness means creating a system that is able to intervene early and puts people at the centre. It means giving people choices and restoring dignity. It means doing more of what we know works while looking for new ways to prevent homelessness. It means being able to deliver effective interventions at scale.
This Strategy recognises that homelessness is not just a housing problem. A person’s pathway into homelessness is driven by:
- the intersection of structural drivers, (such as housing affordability, labour market forces)
- risk factors (such as financial stress, family breakdown)
- protective factors (such as employment, involvement in community).
This Strategy builds on a range of reforms including Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW, which aims to increase the supply of social housing in NSW.
The NSW Homelessness Strategy has three areas of focus:
- identifying people who are vulnerable early
- providing better support and services
- making the system simpler, more integrated and person-centred