NCOSS welcomes 10-year strategy to tackle homelessness in NSW

Peak social service body NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) has welcomed a new whole-of-government strategy outlining a coordinated approach to homelessness reform.

The NSW Government's 10-year strategy will shift to focus on early intervention, local coordination and long-term housing outcomes.

NCOSS CEO, Cara Varian, said a holistic approach to housing vulnerable people, including with wraparound services, will help to reduce the shocking amount of people who are sleeping rough across the state.

“People are finding themselves sleeping rough due to a range of circumstances that can differ from person to person. Including early intervention, coordination with housing providers and targeted responses for First Nations people in this strategy is a good start, but we need to continue to make sure people don’t fall through the cracks when they do seek support.

“During Homelessness Week this week, we’ve learned that the number of people sleeping rough in NSW has doubled since 2020. Almost 2,200 people each night are without a safe place to call home and underfunded support services are too overstretched to help.

“Not only is there an increase for homeless support services but demand has increased for all services, squeezing providers who are forced to turn people away or put their own financial sustainability at risk just to meet soaring community demand.

“NCOSS looks forward to working with the NSW Government in taking the steps to reduce homelessness in NSW, and in breaking the cycle of entrenched disadvantage by in investing in the social infrastructure needed to support vulnerable people,” Ms Varian said.

Media contact: Bron Matherson, 0438 844 765