The attached documents below contain position statements on the Public Housing Renewal Program from public housing tenants and advocates, scholars, researchers, community legal service practitioners and representatives of Northern Metro Region Homelessness Sector and housing bodies.

Beyond the position statements the dossier includes: background documents to the campaign for more and better directed funding to public and community housing and a summary of key documents produced by a wide range of bodies over the last decade that address the crisis in affordable housing in Victoria.

The Northern Homelessness Network believes that the key to addressing homelessness is long term affordable housing and a culture that prioritises everyone having a place to call home not property as part of a financial investment portfolio.

This report provides an overview of homelessness in the North, from the perspective of the homelessness service system and incorporates our ideas for how to best address this issue. We know that we don’t have all the answers and we would welcome the opportunity to work with Government to find solutions to this unacceptable social construct.

You can download this document below.

This report details the key aspects of Homelessness Emergency Accommodation Response Team (HEART) response in the Northern Metropolitan Region (NMR) of Melbourne, Victoria. Drawing upon information gleaned from three focus group interviews with key stakeholders and workers who were part of the response in the region, it articulates: the governance framework employed; methods of engagement and support coordination; and key lessons learned from sector organisations and workers.

Also attached is additional operational information on HEART implementation- HEART TOR and HEART Referral template.

The Northern Local Area Services Network (NLASN) submission to the Productivity Commission’s (PC) Housing and Homelessness Agreement Review. The NLASN commends the Federal Government for requesting this timely review of the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement (NHHA).

The NLASN firmly believe that we can end homelessness. It requires three key elements- a well resourced homelessness service sector working closely and collaboratively with a healthy social housing system that moves people quickly from experiencing homelessness to being housed, enough stock to meet the current and future demand and adequate options to help people maintain and sustain their tenancies.

The Northern LASN (NLASN) welcomes the invitation and opportunity to provide comment and advice to the Rooming House Lived Experience Project (RHLEP).

A number of consultation sessions facilitated by consultant Zoe Probyn were held with homelessness and family violence services seeking their views and advice on what needs to change.

The NLASN believes that homelessness can be solved by the provision of enough safe, affordable housing to meet both current and future demand. A healthy social housing system is one able to meet the diverse needs of the community and underpinned by a long-term strategic focus as well as adequate and ongoing levels of investment.