Homelessness to surge in South Australians because of COVID-19
Shelters are bracing for a surge in homelessness in SA in both employed and unemployed people because of the COVID-19 crisis – there’s already been a huge spike in the CBD.
City
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A “new wave of homelessness” is expected to hit South Australian streets, experts say, as people in desperate need of accommodation already skyrockets across the CBD in the wake of COVID-19.
Data from the Adelaide Zero Project, which aims to end homelessness in the CBD, shows there were 361 homeless people in Adelaide last month, up from 201 in February.
It comes as Adelaide Deputy Lord Mayor Alexander Hyde prepares to tomorrow ask his council to include at least an extra $95,000 in this year’s Budget for homelessness services in the CBD.
Hutt St Centre chief executive Chris Burns said as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, financial supports diminished and the rental constraints abated, his organisation was ready for an increase in demand for homelessness services.
“We are seeing new people fall into homelessness every day and there already appears to be an increase in fresh, scared, uncertain faces coming into our centre,” Mr Burns said.
“The likely recession, increase in joblessness, closure of businesses and crash in stock market prices is likely to lead to a new wave of homelessness in the coming months.”
The Hutt St centre last month won a battle to spend $2.2 million redeveloping its premises, despite strong opposition from some traders and residents.
The redevelopment will help clients like John, who has relied on the centre during the pandemic for health support and to keep him connected to his community.
“He sings to us to show his appreciation and reads us the poetry he writes,” Mr Burns said.
Each year, about 23,000 South Australians access specialist homelessness services . About five per cent of those are rough sleepers, while nearly two-thirds of all homeless people are males, compared to a third who are female.
About 50 per cent are experiencing a combination of physical health, mental health and substance use issues.
The State Government last month announced taxpayers would pay for rough sleepers to stay in 23 motels and hotels across Adelaide to protect them from COVID-19 .
So far, 390 people have been placed in accommodation as part of the emergency measures. Shelter SA executive director Alice Clark said people who were employed had started to seek homelessness assistance, which “is a new trend” .
She said South Australia’s emergency legislation in relation to homelessness did not stretch far enough and feared there would not be enough public housing post COVID-19 .
“The idea of putting rough sleepers in motels was good, but not without its problems, and only included the CBD,” Dr Clark said.
“Food was a big issue for those placed in motels, we hear anecdotally, and people with pets could not be placed.
“It was good to hear the Premier promise that people would not be sent back to the streets after the pandemic, but I’m not sure where they will go as there is no public housing.”
The City Council has spent $383,000 over three years on a strategic partnership with the Don Dunstan Foundation to help deliver the Adelaide Zero project.
Cr Hyde said an increased City Council contribution would be “enlivened” if the State Government offered co-contributions to address homelessness problems in the CBD.
Cr Hyde said the proposed budget allocation would be “enlivened” if the State Government offered co-contributions to address problems in the city.
In March, Anglicare’s rental affordability snapshot survey showed that out of 2369 Adelaide properties, only 82 were affordable for households across all categories of income support.
Anglicare is now calling for Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s temporary increase to income support payments – an extra $550 a fortnight – to become permanent.
That would make 602 of the surveyed rental properties affordable .
“The shortage is nothing new, but by placing priority on helping South Australians into housing now, we can boost our economy into the future,” Anglicare SA chief executive Peter Sandeman said.
“An increase to income support , combined with an increase to social and affordable housing supply, will address social issues.”
Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink said it remained the State Government’s goal to “get people off the street” .
“Currently we have a homelessness system that is outdated , expensive and does not achieve real outcomes for South Australians who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, and people using the system have told us it’s not working for them,” Ms Lensink said.
She said the State Government’s $550 million Housing and Homelessness Strategy would deliver more than 20,000 affordable housing outcomes over the next decade, including 1000 new homes by 2025.
“COVID-19 highlights more than ever we need to ensure the system is working well,” she said.