HomeGround Supportive Housing - HomeGround Services

Message from the CEOMelbourne is globally recognised as one of theworld’s most liveable cities. Our love of sport,dynamic arts scene, great food and wine andparks and gardens are celebrated in postcards.But that liveability is not enjoyed by allMelbournians.While many know the MCG is Melbourne’s homeof sport, few know that 15 out of every 1,000inner-Melbourne residents do not have a home.In Victoria in 2004 there were more than 20,000homeless people, 14,000 of those in inner-Melbourne. At HomeGround Services, our visionis to end homelessness in Melbourne.When a person is homeless it is nearly impossiblefor them to feel safe, find and keep a job,complete treatment for substance, mentalhealth or other problems, break down negativeconnections, reconnect with family and friends,or to even have hope.HomeGround Supportive Housing – based on amodel developed and effectively implementedin the United States – fills a gap in the way wecurrently deal with homelessness.However we can’t realise our vision of endinghomelessness alone. Working with the privatesector, philanthropists and government we hopeto build HomeGround Supportvie Housing, amodel project that can create a national evidencebase for further action and help get people – andkeep people – housed.Stephen NashCEO HomeGround ServicesHomeGround’s CEO is a founding member and Chair of the AustralianCommon Ground Alliance (ACGA) a national network of organizationsworking towards ending chronic homelessness in Australia through a mixof solutions – including Supportive Housing – that build on and adaptprograms developed and delivered effectively by Common Ground NewYork. Melbourne’s “Elizabeth St Common Ground Supportive Housing”is based upon the Common Ground Supportive Housing model.ACGA, together with its patron Therese Rein, is committed topromoting and supporting further Common Ground SupportiveHousing developments around Australia.A snapshot of theproblem:• 149 out of 10,000 people in inner-Melbourne are homeless• Homelessness is a major social issue,yet it is invisible to most Melbournians• Chronically homeless people havecontact with community services,hospital, justice and mental healthsystems in disproportionately highnumbers• Targeting the most chronicallyhomeless reduces costs to thesegovernment-funded services• Supportive Housing – housing thatalso provides a diverse mix of supportservices – can help reduce costs.Solutions at a glance:• Different agencies have used differentstrategies to try to house homelesspeople with a measure of success,yet homelessness remains asignificant issue• HomeGround Services recognised anew model and approach is needed• HomeGround Supportive Housingaddresses two key issues – provisionof housing and the provision ofsupport services• HomeGround Supportive Housingwill cost significantly less than othertenant based facilities such as jails,hospitals, mental health facilities andeven shelters• This combination of long-termhousing and on-site around-the-clockconcierge and support services doesnot exist in Victoria• Offering homeless people access tosafe, affordable housing is the firststep to ending their homelessness• Supportive Housing looks like everyother type of housing because it is likeother housing.4 5