Homelessness Week in Western Australia has been marked by an announcement from the McGowan Government to co-fund initiatives to address homelessness in local communities.
Under the new $6 million Local Government Partnership Fund for Homelessness, the State Government will provide one-off financial co-contributions to projects that are identified and led by local governments to respond to and prevent homelessness across Western Australia.
The fund encourages partnerships with local governments to ensure there are responses to homelessness in their communities that are locally designed, coordinated and implemented.
Community Services Minister Simone McGurk, said, “As a result of the work the State Government has been doing with local governments to help address homelessness around the state, there has been growing acknowledgement of the role that they can play in delivering solutions.
“This Homelessness Week, we commit to continue working in partnership with the homelessness services sector, local governments, business and communities towards a WA where everyone has a safe and comfortable place to sleep.”
Grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 will be awarded under the All Paths Lead to a Home: Western Australia’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness and will provide a mechanism to establish local cross-sector partnerships driving innovative responses to homelessness.
In 2021, Homelessness Week runs from 1-7 August and aims to raise awareness of homelessness in the community with a national theme of ‘Everybody needs a home’.
The call for applications for the Local Government Partnership Fund for Homelessness delivers on a McGowan Government election commitment, and comes ahead of the new homelessness facility at 300 Wellington Street, Perth opening later this month.
A further $45.4 million, including an $8 million contribution from the Commonwealth through the Perth City Deal, is being invested in the Perth Common Ground supported housing facility near Royal Perth Hospital.
This year, the WA Government’s $34.5 million Housing First Homelessness Initiative is also being rolled out in Bunbury, Geraldton, Mandurah, Rockingham and Perth, with service agreements now in place with community service organisations to source a range of housing options for individuals and families and link them with support services to help them avoid a return to homelessness.
