NSW improves access to emergency housing for vulnerable people

People in crisis situations across NSW — including women and children fleeing domestic and family violence, disaster victim-survivors, rough sleepers and couch surfers — will now have access to temporary accommodation for a longer period following reforms enacted by the state government.

Under the implemented reforms, individuals in need of emergency housing support can now access an extended initial period of seven days for temporary accommodation – a significant increase from the previous duration of just two days.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the reform is in line with the government’s commitment to “increasing housing supply and delivering solutions to help break cycles of homelessness.”

“I don’t want to see a situation where a woman fleeing domestic and family violence has to pick up and leave every two days. This is an important change for people in some of the most vulnerable situations,” he said.

Additionally, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) also revised eligibility requirements for people requesting temporary accommodation by increasing the asset cap to $5,000 instead of $1,000. The requirement is altogether removed for those fleeing domestic or family violence.

Under the changes, people who contact Link2home, a 24/7 helpline service provided by the NSW government, can also initially access seven days of temporary housing.

Accommodation will be consistently offered to clients as they pursue more permanent housing solutions, on the condition that they maintain regular contact with support services and actively explore available housing alternatives.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison emphasised easy access to temporary accommodation is “crucial” for women and children escaping domestic violence and sexual assault.

Lauding the seven-day extension, Minister Harrison highlighted victims can get the “peace of mind” that they can access other support services they need to leave a violent partner.

“Not knowing what will happen, especially where they are going to live, often becomes a barrier for women who leave a violent relationship,” she added.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said the extension in the provision of emergency housing comes after they determined two days “just isn’t enough time” for people experiencing housing insecurity to “organise their next steps.”

“We want to ease the burden on people trying to find stable accommodation, not add to it.

“Part of rebuilding our housing system includes giving people in temporary accommodation more time to find their feet, get connected with the services, and access stable housing from the safety of a motel,” she said.

In addition to “bring humanity and dignity back to the housing system in NSW”, Minister Jackson said the move to improve access to temporary housing sends a “clear message” that this government cares about “our homeless community and people in crisis.”

“Homelessness is not a personal failing. Many people are one bad job, one bad relationship, one climate disaster away from facing homelessness. We need to strengthen our safety net to ensure people don’t fall through the cracks and find themselves unable to access shelter,” she stated.

The emergency housing reforms adds to the NSW government’s raft of measures to address homelessness, which currently include a plan to increase social and affordable housing by 30 per cent and a two-year extension of Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) contracts from 30 June 2024 to 30 June 2026.

Notably, people in temporary accommodation are also no longer being required to complete a rental diary to demonstrate they are actively looking for housing starting 1 July 2023 while the scheme is under review by the government.

Manager of Policy and Research for Homelessness NSW, Kate Davies, lauded the government’s efforts to combat homelessness, emphasising that the implemented changes are the “right thing to do.”

She also underlined the importance of focusing on “people not processes and their pathway out of homelessness.”

“Emergency accommodation is critical in a crisis, but we must see investment in frontline support services and social housing to give people a safe home and the support to keep it,” she stated.

This shift in approach to homelessness crisis coincides with the government’s re-evaluation of various issues affecting constituents in the state, including mental health.

On 9 July, the NSW government announced major funding to bolster support for national charity, Lifeline.

NSW Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson said the $8.2 million funding boost will finance the expansion of telephone, text service, and online support for people experiencing a mental health crisis.

This investment boost will see people across the state have access to enhanced mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to Ms Jackson.

“Mental health and emotional wellbeing remain a key priority for me and the NSW government. Now, more than ever, people need access to life-saving mental health support, and we are committed to ensuring people have that support,” she added.

The funding boost comes after Lifeline received over 360,000 calls from NSW callers in 2022, with Ms Jackson acknowledging the demand for this service is “incredibly high.”

She said the expansion of Lifeline’s text and web chat service in NSW will help to ensure people have a range of options, especially for young people who sometimes see making a phone call as an obstacle to getting the help they need.

“We’re using technology they’re familiar with to create easier entry points and better accessibility for vulnerable people,” Ms Jackson said.

Lifeline Australia chief executive Colin Seery thanked the NSW government for the additional investment.

“This funding injection will ensure that Lifeline can deliver more support to people in distress through our text and web chat services, which are used more by harder-to-reach and at-risk groups such as young people, people with disabilities, and people experiencing domestic and family violence,” he stated.