The City of Port Phillip recognises that homelessness is a major issue for our community and seeks to address its impact across a range of approaches that incorporate both housing ,information and support.
Gentrification and redevelopment are making it harder for residents on low to medium incomes to find affordable, accessible and suitable housing in the City of Port Phillip. We are aware that the rapidly increasing costs of housing locally is placing great stress on a quarter of our residents living on less than $300 per week.
This affects over 4000 local households who are in the lowest 40% of incomes and spending more than 30 per cent of the household income on housing costs which can ultimately lead into homelessness.
Where can I start to find help?
There are a range of emergency accommodation and crisis support services that offer advice, referral and sometimes financial assistance to help you secure accommodation in the short term. The council funds some of these support and information services at a range of locations across Port Phillip and there are also community agencies such as Salvation Army, Sacred Heart Mission, Homeground Housing Services and Hanover Housing Services. For contact details and information on these services, search for them in the Community Directory.
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What if I need assistance to find these services and apply for housing?
Many of the crisis support agencies are available for drop in contact or you can phone to make an appointment, some also are open after hours. For their details visit the Housing Support page.
City of Port Phillip's Housing Information & Support worker also delivers an outreach support & information service to older people and people with a disability in housing stress and experiencing homelessness. For further information visit the Aged & Disabled accommodation page.
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What about long term, affordable housing options?
To assist residents to find affordable, suitable and accessible housing, the City of Port Phillip is a direct provider of community housing through purchasing properties, rehabilitation of old buildings and construction of new housing for people on low incomes including:
- Older persons
- Families
- Singles wanting self-contained housing
- Singles and other households wanting rooming house accommodation
- Youth and Disabled persons
For full details, visit the Community Housing page.
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Is there any public housing in the City of Port Phillip?
As well as a range of local community owned and/or managed affordable housing, there are two offices of the Office of Housing in or near Port Phillip who manage the public housing across the Port Phillip municipality:
South Melbourne Housing Office
2nd Floor,120 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
Phone: (03) 8646 3600 and
Prahran Housing Office
259 Malvern Road, South Yarra
Phone: (03) 8517 2500
Council supports older people with strong links to the area accessing some of this public housing through the Sponsorship Housing nomination rights, for details visit the Public Housing page of the website.
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City of Port Phillip Homelessness Action Strategy 2008-2013:
The council recognises that the increasing lack of secure housing affects the health and well being of individuals and families and communities.Homelessness impacts negatively on nearly every aspect of a person's health, wellbeing and ability to participate in the community. The council monitors and reviews the changing availability of local housing options and homelessness support services, as well as actively facilitating housing.
In 2007 Council endorsed a 10 year Housing Strategy which included as recommendation- to develop an approach to the planning for, and response to Homelessness by preparing a Homelessness Strategy and developing training guidelines& information packages for both Council staff and across Community.
Work commenced August 2007 on developing this strategy and in September 2008 Council endorsed a 5 year Homelessness Action Strategy :  City of Port Phillip Homelessness Action Strategy 2008-2013
City of Port Phillip aims to provide an integrated response across the council's services to respond to people experiencing absolute homelessness and needing assistance and referral to crisis accommodation : Clause 44A (p29) of the Community Amenity Local Law No.3 outlines what the council services should consider when someone is experiencing homelessness and has complex needs. This is available online: Community Amenity Local Law No.3 Clause 44A.
General 2006 Census details are available currently via our link :Census 2006 .Council will be adding information regarding counting of homelessness to our Homelessness Action Strategy. National and State/Territory figures regarding homelessness became available in the ABS report released September 2008 at this link: Australian Bureau Statistics ;figures by region and municipality (not expected till February 2009).
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More Information
Use eServices to ask us a question, request information or give us feedback online about homelessness or community housing. If you prefer phone ASSIST on (03) 9209 6777 or TTy (03) 9209 6713 and ask for the Housing Officer.
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