Following the Opposition’s calls for the Government to stop hiding the homelessness figures they have been forced to release the 2024 street count figures.
The NSW annual street count reveal the number of rough sleepers has surged over the past twelve months under Labor.
The data collected during the street count recorded 2,037 people sleeping rough in February 2024, an increase of 414 people since February 2023.
Shadow Minister for Homelessness Natasha Maclaren-Jones said the 2024 street count numbers shows the Minns Labor Government was failing our most vulnerable.
“The Minns Government housing and homelessness crisis just keeps getting worse with a record 2,037 people sleeping rough recorded this year, an increase of 414 people since February 2023,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones.
“As the housing and economic crisis continues to escalate, there is a real risk more people will experience homelessness for the first time.”
“As winter approaches and the number of people sleeping rough increases, the Minister for Homelessness has turned her back on homelessness providers and refuses to provide certainty for critical funding.”
“The NSW Labor Government must act now and provide additional funding to support our already stretched homelessness services.”
Mrs Maclaren-Jones is also calling on the Minister for Homelessness to broaden the scope of reporting to encompass all types of homelessness, including nuances like couch surfing and other forms of non-secure housing, which is not captured in the street count.
“People are experiencing many types of housing stress, from rough sleeping to couch surfing and living in overcrowded accommodation. To effectively address homelessness, we must have accurate and timely data that shows the true extent of homelessness,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.
To view the 2024 NSW street count results, visit www.facs.nsw.gov.au/housing/housing-reforms/homelessness/street-count.
