Drogheda and District Chamber’s Post

Plymouth is set to receive additional funding from the Government to deliver more services to people who are homeless, including those with a history of, or at risk of rough sleeping.  The additional £850,000 was allocated as a share of an £84 million injection, announced to coincide with World Homelessness Day. Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communities and Cooperative Development, said: “This additional government funding comes as a welcome boost to people experiencing homelessness in Plymouth and will help us support them at the most difficult times in their lives. “Homeless families are far more than just statistics; the housing crisis is very real and as a result real people are affected. “That is why any and all additional resource will help us invest more in those who need it by providing an early help service, where we can help people in the early stages of needing support, and deliver the right care at the right time, and in the right place.” An executive decision to passport the funding to the Plymouth Alliance will be published in the next few weeks.

Having a quiet coffee this morning in Utrecht, I'm reflecting on presentations from yesterday at the FEANTSA conference. in a presentation on Housing First, an audience member asked, "What is the goal of Housing First?". The presenter answered that the goal is to end homelessness. After a few other comments, they stated that the goal is to ensure that a person who is homeless becomes housed and does not become homeless again. It struck me that these are two different answers. Ensuring that an individual exits homelessness and stays housed does indeed end their experience of homelessness. However, if at the same time two more people become homeless, then we are not ending homelessness. I think this is a vital point, particularly in the context that in Finland, Canada and the US, where Housing First has been widely adopted, homelessness is actually on the rise. So Housing First is a vital philosophy to guide the sector, and it's the best model to organize support services, however, it's not the whole story on ending homelessness. This is where our conversations on social housing and the necessity of having a whole housing sector approach to housing rights are vital. So the goal of Housing First is to rehouse people, but the goal of our sector needs to be to end homelessness and this takes a much larger policy advocacy intervention than just how we design our services.

 "What is the goal of Housing First?" The goal is to end homelessness, to ensure that a person who is homeless becomes housed and does not become homeless again. Housing First is a vital philosophy that guides the sector, and it's the best model for organizing support services; however, it's not the whole story in ending homelessness. Ensuring that an individual exits homelessness and stays housed does indeed end their experience of homelessness. However, if at the same time two more people become homeless, then we are not ending homelessness. However, a vital point which must be taken into account is that, particularly in the context of Finland, Canada, and especially the USA, where Housing First has been widely adopted, homelessness is actually on the rise. This is where our conversations on social housing and the necessity of having a whole housing sector approach to housing rights are vital. So while the goal of Housing First is to rehouse people, the ultimate goal of our sector needs to be to end homelessness, and this takes a much larger policy advocacy intervention than just how services are designed.

Homelessness on the Northern Beaches — who’s helping, and where the gaps are Homelessness doesn’t always look like someone sleeping rough. On the Northern Beaches, it can be the woman living in her car at Dee Why. The young person couch-surfing from Allambie to Avalon. Or the man quietly sleeping near the beach because he’s lost everything and has nowhere left to go. Across our region — Pittwater, Wakehurst, Davidson and Manly — over 600 people are experiencing homelessness, and hundreds more are waiting years for social housing. The local services are doing extraordinary work, but they are stretched beyond capacity. Here are some of the key organisations trying to make a difference: • LocalKind Northern Beaches – outreach workers connecting with rough sleepers, providing advocacy, food, clothing and referrals. • Mission Australia (Brookvale) – supports adults and families facing homelessness or eviction. • Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter (Manly) – short-term crisis accommodation and case management for women in crisis. • Women and Children First – safe housing and support for women and children escaping domestic violence. • Taldumande Youth Services – emergency and transitional accommodation for young people aged 12–24. • Northern Beaches Council – referral support, emergency relief, and collaboration with state agencies. Despite their efforts, the holes are clear: • Too few crisis beds, especially for men and youth. • Little to no after-hours or overnight safe spaces. • Long waits for social housing (over 1,700 households on the list). • Not enough outreach in remote areas like Palm Beach, Avalon and Terrey Hills. • Limited transitional housing and ongoing case support once people leave shelters. • Inadequate early-intervention funding to stop people becoming homeless in the first place. We are one of the most beautiful regions in Australia — yet even here, people are sleeping in cars, tents and shopfronts. It’s time for more investment in crisis accommodation, mobile outreach teams, and preventative housing programs on the Northern Beaches. No one should be without a safe place to call home. If you work in housing, government, or community, please connect. Let’s talk about real solutions — because compassion must turn into action. 💛 #NorthernBeaches #Homelessness #Community #SocialImpact #HousingCrisis #TogetherWeCan

Tackling the housing and homelessness crisis collaboratively 🏡 Australia’s housing crisis is amplified in Melbourne’s South-East where housing shortages and lagging homelessness service funding are leaving many in our community without the safe and secure homes they need to thrive. Last week, the South Eastern Housing and Homelessness Alliance (SEHHA) kicked off the first of two action planning days, bringing together three councils - Casey, Cardinia, and the City of Greater Dandenong - alongside eight housing and homelessness service providers to build a shared approach to one of the most pressing challenges facing our region. To start coming up with solutions, we mapped the housing and homelessness system in the south-east - considering the gaps, complexity, and the places where we can have the most impact. From there, we brainstormed actions across three key areas: advocacy, service coordination, and community understanding and awareness. We'll come together again next month to refine our actions and plan the next steps. Watch this space! Aleesha Bendon Shari McPhail MPPM, GAICD Marek Krol Helen Small Peter McNamara Rosemary Taylor Ruth Gordon

Today is World Homeless Day (10th Oct), which raises awareness of the growing housing crisis and the urgent need to provide safe and secure homes for those most in need.   The latest figures highlight the scale of the challenge: • 327,950 households were owed support to prevent or relieve homelessness in 2024, a 5% increase on the previous year. • A total of 131,140 households were living in temporary accommodation in March 2025, 12% higher than in 2024. The total number of children living in temporary accommodation has now reached 169,050. • In London, 13,231 people were seen sleeping rough between April 2024 and March 2025, a record high and 63% higher than a decade ago. (Source: The Big Issue, 2025)   At SimplyPhi, we continue to work with local authorities, housing associations and charities to increase the supply of affordable homes and improve outcomes for vulnerable households.   Recent partnerships include: 🏘️ Hastings Borough Council, delivering more than 100 homes to reduce reliance on private temporary accommodation, saving an average of £350 per week per family home while providing safe, high-quality housing. 🏙️ Bristol City Council, providing 110 additional homes and helping to save £2.7 million per year in temporary housing costs. 💛 St Martin Of Tours Housing Association, completing a £2.2 million project to provide housing for people recovering from complex mental health issues. Our focus remains on supporting local authorities and partners to deliver safe, warm and affordable homes - creating stability for those most affected by the housing crisis.   #WorldHomelessDay #AffordableHousing #SocialImpact #Community #SimplyPhi

A win for districts on homelessness prevention funding. 🏠 DWP has confirmed that districts will keep direct control of Discretionary Housing Payment funding for the first two years of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (2026-28), until local government reorganisation is forecast to be complete. This protects the rapid, targeted homelessness prevention work that districts deliver through their direct relationships with landlords and residents. Thank you to all the district councils who helped us make the case for this, including those who shared evidence and case studies, raised it with MPs, and advocated on the government working group. Districts are the housing and homelessness authorities, and this outcome recognises the vital role we play in preventing housing crises and keeping people in their homes.

Homelessness remains a significant challenge across the UK. In 2024, 1,611 people died while homeless, a 9% increase from the previous year. That equates to more than 4 people dying every day last year whilst experiencing homelessness. The local authority plays a crucial role in providing support for those in need and we work closely with partner agencies, such as Wiltshire Council, who offer emergency housing advice and rough sleeping outreach. At Selwood Housing, we are striving to be part of the solution. Our commitment is to offer safe, secure, and affordable homes wherever possible. Selwood Housing provides over 7,200 secure tenancies across Wiltshire and Somerset, ensuring our customers have access to a responsive repairs service, support from neighbourhood and tenancy sustainment teams and most importantly, a safe place to call home. But we want to do more, with an ambitious programme to build 1,700 more homes by 2034. On Friday, we recognised #WorldHomelessDay by reflecting on the progress, challenges, and urgent needs facing our communities in Wiltshire, Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset: https://lnkd.in/eyKiMKcj

The number of children experiencing homelessness in England has reached record levels. New data highlighted by Shelter reveals that more than 172,000 children are now living in temporary accommodation - a figure greater than the entire population of Oxford. At Resonance, we’re working with housing partners across the UK to be part of the solution. Through our property funds, we’ve helped provide safe, stable homes for 1,956 children who were previously homeless or at risk of homelessness as at 31 March 2025. But this is only a fraction of what’s needed. Too many children are still growing up in temporary accommodation, where instability can deeply affect their wellbeing, education, and future opportunities. Every child deserves the chance to feel safe and to thrive. Read more about Shelter’s findings here: https://ow.ly/C1wv50XcyVJ #ChildHomelessness #HomelessnessCrisis #SocialImpact

In April this year, Bega Valley Shire Council launched a podcast on the state of housing and homelessness in the shire. 'Unhoused – Voices from the Threshold' provides an insight into the lives of local people who have found themselves homeless, on the brink of homelessness, in transitional housing or unable to find stable accommodation. It gives a voice to the organisations and individuals working to provide support and services to these people, including charity groups, developers, local councillors and real estate agents. Sapphire Stories was commissioned to produce the 6-episode podcast, which is fully funded under the NSW Premier’s Department Social Cohesion Grant for Local Government. You can access the podcast from the Unhoused – Voices from the Threshold webpage on Council’s website: https://lnkd.in/g9esURTC The development of the podcast is an action from the Bega Valley Affordable Housing Strategy to create community awareness about homelessness.