City council changes tack on homeless with shift to support services and charities

MELBOURNE City Council is to back away from building its own homeless shelter, with most of its $2 million homelessness budget likely to be used to seek housing.

A homeless camp near Flinders St in the city. Picture: Nicole Garmston

MELBOURNE city council is to back away from building its own homeless shelter, with most of its $2 million homelessness budget likely to be used to seek housing from support services and charities.

A daily support team will be created to respond to the needs of people living on the streets.

Town Hall had earmarked four sites in the CBD and North Melbourne for possible housing projects to help people find safe accommodation.

But a report to councillors advises that $1.2 million of the homelessness fund would be better spent on asking support organisations and charities to provide housing.

The council will investigate its own night safe space, based loosely on the Salvation Army’s successful night cafe.

The number of people identified as being homeless has soared this year in Victoria, especially in Melbourne’s CBD.

A council audit in July identified 247 people sleeping rough in the city — a 74 per cent increase on the previous year.

The council committed $2 million this financial year towards homeless projects and services.

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