sector crowd funding solutions to homelessness
Government contributes a drop in the ocean
crisis a daily reality for thousands of Tasmanians
Will Hodgman’s Government has failed
Tasmanians who are sleeping rough or experiencing housing stress.
Shadow Housing Minister Alison Standen said
community organisations such as The Salvation Army and the Hobart City Mission have
had to go cap in hand to Tasmanians to fund homelessness initiatives such as
the Safe Night Space program.
“While we welcome the Government’s contribution to the Safe Night Space program, it falls well short of what’s needed. The community sector is resorting to crowd funding the program, instead of government delivering essential services.
“We commend those community organisations,
and we again call on Will Hodgman’s Government to do more.”
Ms Standen said the government’s contribution
leaves a shortfall of $125,000 for the Safe Night Space program.
“In June Roger Jaensch responded to mounting community and media pressure by announcing extra funding for immediate action to reduce homelessness and housing stress.
“Since then, he hasn’t said when or how
that $5 million would be spent, or how many people have received ‘immediate’
assistance out of homelessness.
“On any given night, more than 1,600
Tasmanians are homeless, with many people relying on their friends and families
by couch surfing, or living in sheds, cars or tents.”
Ms Standen said experts agree the crisis in
housing affordability and homelessness is getting worse.
“In 2014 the Liberal Government inherited
an average wait time of about 20 weeks for priority housing applicants to be
housed, which has now blown out to 67 weeks; and more than 3,300 families are
currently on the waiting list.
“It begs the question why Roger Jaensch hasn’t fully funded the shortfall given there’s been so little to show for the purported investment of $5 million to immediately improve the lives of vulnerable Tasmanians.”
Alison Standen
Shadow Housing Minister
