Hobart City Mission and The Salvation Army join forces for Safe Night Space proposal for growing number of homeless

A new initiative aims to provide vulnerable, isolated and homeless men and women with a safe space to visit for rest, food and water overnight.

Hobart City Mission chief executive John Stubley and Salvation Army Street To Home team leader Don McCrae at the launch of their Safe Night Space program. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

TWO charities have joined forces to put forward a proposal to help the growing number of people sleeping rough in Hobart who are “slipping through the gaps”.

An initiative of The Salvation Army and Hobart City Mission, the Safe Night Space would be a location in central Hobart where men and women who are vulnerable, isolated and homeless in Hobart could drop in for rest, food and water overnight.

Staff and volunteers would help connect people with housing, mental health and drug and alcohol services.

Salvation Army Street To Home team leader Don McCrae said his team had been concerned overnight outreach services were not adequate to respond to people who were sleeping rough and there were not short-term solutions for the housing crisis in sight.

“There’s a lot of people slipping through the gaps — they’re unable to get into shelters because there’s a waiting list and also because there’s conditions they can’t meet when you go into a shelter,” he said.

“If you’re sleeping in a park — you’ve got to keep one eye open for security so you’re never really resting so this will be a safe place where people can relax and know they’re being supervised.”

Homeless people line up for food from Loui’s Van in Elizabeth Street mall. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Hobart City Mission chief executive John Stubley said $450,000 was needed to run the six-month pilot program, with hopes for something more permanent in the future.

“We’re talking to the [State] Government for support — it might seem like a lot of money for a six-month trial, but it’s a new program and if anything we need to be over-resourced in the early days,” he said.

“We can’t start unless we can raise the money so I think this is a real opportunity for the community to get behind something to help us address a challenging situation.”

A suitable location has been identified, with Hobart City Council providing the location and associated costs free of charge.

WHAT IS THE SAFE NIGHT SPACE PROGRAM?

WHAT IS IT?

A welcoming, safe and inclusive place for men and women who are vulnerable, isolated and homeless in the City of Hobart. People can link up with staff to get help from support services, access food, water and coffee or just safely rest.

WHEN WILL IT OPEN?

The aim is for it to be up and running by the end of next month and the site would be open seven nights a week, between 7pm and 7am.

HOW MUCH MONEY IS NEEDED FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM?

A total of $450,000 is required, with some funding expected to come from the State Government.

HOW TO ACCESS IT?

Contact the Hobart City Mission or The Salvation Army.

The Safe Night Space would include tables and chairs, a TV, working kitchen and self-serve coffee machine.

Bathrooms and shower facilities should be available as well as space for a laundry van and storage room with tubs and lockers for people’s belongings.

Mr McCrae said numbers would initially be limited to ensure safety.

“We know on any given night there’s around 70 people in Hobart sleeping rough, which means they’re not in a shelter or hospital, police lockup, accommodation or couch surfing,” he said.

“We don’t think this problem is going to go away, not in the foreseeable future and some of our statistics suggest it’s getting worse.

“Potentially down the track we’re expecting to see more people on the streets and we’d hope this project will turn into something bigger where perhaps they could come during the day as well as the night.”

A tent where someone is living just outside Hobart’s CBD Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said Hobart was one of few Australian capital cities that did not have a permanent night-time drop-in shelter for people sleeping rough.

“We have to work towards something that’s permanently available, 24 hours — we don’t have anything like this only because our charities haven’t been given sufficient funding from the State Government to make this happen,” she said.

“I hope some of the housing debt relief can be directed towards a project like this.”

To contribute financially to the project, contact Hobart City Mission on 6215 4200 or The Salvation Army on 6228 8400 or visit hobartcitymission.org.au/safe-night-space/