The Albanese Labor Government is delivering safe, stable housing for young Australians experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The Minister for Housing and Homelessness Clare O’Neil today announced more than 13,000 young Australians will benefit from more than $300 million to build 520 homes across the country.
The funding from the Housing Australia Future Fund delivers crisis and transitional accommodation for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence, and young people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
It backs a range of supported housing models, including independent living units, shared living, and youth foyers, which combine stable housing with support to stay in school, training or work.
The Woden Youth Foyer in the ACT is a key example of what can be achieved by giving young people a safe place to live while they stay connected to education, training and their community.
Operated by Marymead CatholicCare in partnership with the Canberra Institute of Technology and the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the foyer houses up to 20 young people aged 16 to 24, with round‑the‑clock support to help them build the skills and stability they need for the future.
This funding builds on the Government’s broader investment in young people at risk of homelessness, giving them the stable foundation they need to stay engaged in school, training and work, and to move into long‑term housing.
This includes:
- $9.3 billion over five years through the National Agreement on Social Housing and Homelessness, including $400 million a year in dedicated homelessness funding, matched by states and territories.
- $124.6 million over four years for Reconnect, an early intervention program delivered through 100 services nationally, helping over 8,400 young people and their families every year.
- $59.4 million over four years to help more than 4,000 young people aged 16 to 24 access stable community housing, by supplementing rental income for community housing providers supporting young people on the Away from Home rate of Youth Allowance or ABSTUDY.
The Albanese Government is building 55,000 social and affordable homes in every corner of our country for Australians experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with more than 7,200 now complete and 23,000 in planning or construction.
This is in stark contrast to the Coalition, who delivered just 373 homes in the nine years they were in office.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Housing, Homelessness and Cities, Clare O’Neil MP
“No young person should have to choose between staying safe and staying in school. This funding will give young people somewhere stable to live, so they can focus on their education, their friendships and their future.
“I’ve met young people who’ve done it tough, sleeping rough or couch surfing because they had nowhere else to go. What they need isn’t complicated: somewhere safe, somewhere stable, and someone in their corner.
“We’re not just delivering for the short term. This is part of our plan to build thousands of social and affordable homes in every corner of our country for Australians experiencing or at risk of homelessness.”
Quotes attributable to the Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness, Josh Burns MP
“Every young person deserves a safe place to live. We know that helping young people out of homelessness and into secure housing is the most powerful way we can break the cycle of disadvantage.
“The Woden Youth Foyer isn’t just a place to sleep – it’s a path to education, employment, well‑being, civic participation, and all the supports we take for granted.
“Projects like these are changing the lives of young people for the better, and we’re proud to be building more of them.”
