Hutt St Centre lodges application with Adelaide City Council to expand
An expansion of a centre for the homeless, at the centre of concerns about anti-social behaviour in Hutt St, is on the cards.
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The Hutt St Centre wants to expand to be able to cater for the growing number of women and young families wanting to access its services.
The controversial centre has lodged plans with Adelaide City Council for a rear extension, as well as the construction of a front foyer and new fencing and pergolas.
A centre spokeswoman, who declined to answer questions about the upgrade’s cost, said it would make the operation, which provides meals, warm showers, laundry facilities and other help to Adelaide’s homeless, “more efficient”.
“The improvements will allow the centre to better service its clients and cater for the growing number of women and young families it supports by improving access to, and increasing space, within the centre,” the spokeswoman said.
She did not answer questions about whether the redevelopment would have an impact on existing services while the work was being carried out.
Latest data from the Don Dunstan Foundation, which aims to end disadvantage, showed 141 people were known to be sleeping rough in the CBD in October 2019, down from 152 at the same time the previous year.
About 58 per cent of homeless people have been sleeping rough for more than two years.
The Adelaide Zero project aims to rule out homelessness in the CBD by 2020.
Its co-chair Louise Miller Frost welcomed the expansion and all services “that help people rebuild their lives”.
The Hutt St Centre has come under fire in recent years for contributing to anti-social and violent behaviour in the city’s southeast.
However, a parliamentary inquiry in September heard that the centre had been incorrectly blamed for crime.
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Adelaide City Cr Alexander Hyde, whose ward covers the district, said the centre provided vital services, but “they are not without serious implications for the broader precinct”.
“These alterations are a starting point in managing issues and it’s good to see the centre working to address them,” Cr Hyde said.
“This must be examined closely and the community needs to be consulted so they understand how it might affect our suffering high street in the southeast.”
A SAPOL spokeswoman said police worked closely with the Hutt St Centre to address issues.
She said police could not provide statistics about whether there had been an increase or decrease in crime in Hutt St.
“SAPOL’s focus is for a compassionate and professional approach and to promptly intervene when anyone behaves in a way that adversely impacts on the comfort and safety of others,” the spokeswoman said.