More than 1,000 people in the Logan region have been identified as homeless since December 2021 by community partners in a campaign to end homelessness and rough sleeping.
Christopher John, CEO of YFS, host organisation for the Logan Zero campaign, said this is just a fraction of the number of people who need support to find housing in the region.
“At YFS alone, we are receiving enquiries from more than 120 households a week who are homeless or facing homelessness,” he said.
“The data collected by Logan Zero campaign partners is being used to get a true picture of homelessness in Logan and identify ways to improve systems and support services, and ultimately end homelessness in the area.”
The Logan Zero campaign is a collaboration of community organisations, services and government who are working together to end homelessness and rough sleeping in the greater Logan region.
“The campaign data is providing us with meaningful information about the needs of people experiencing homelessness and helping to identify bottlenecks and gaps in the system,” Mr John said.
These barriers can be something as simple as not having identification documents. “You can’t end homelessness without ID,” Mr John said. “Identification documents often get lost, stolen or destroyed in the process of becoming homeless but you need personal ID to make rental applications, open a bank account, access government support and so much more. It can be complex and costly to get identification documents, and people often need support to navigate the systems.”
The Logan Zero data highlights the need for solutions that bring services together to overcome barriers and provide wrap-around support for housing and other needs.
Mr John says, “Logan needs a homelessness hub – a one-stop shop that brings together government, non-government and community services, where people experiencing homelessness can go to get the supports they need.
“We also need more outreach so that services can go out to where people are to provide them with support. We are seeing increasing numbers of people sleeping in our parks and public spaces and Logan Zero’s data shows that they need support for health and other challenges as well as housing services.
“And of course, we urgently need more safe and affordable housing stock, including more social housing and more supportive housing for people who need ongoing help to maintain a tenancy.”
Homelessness Week
Homelessness Week 2023 runs from Monday August 7 to Sunday August 13. The theme for Homelessness Week 2023 is ‘It’s time to end homelessness’.
About Logan Zero
The Logan Zero campaign is an initiative to end homelessness and rough sleeping in the Logan region through a coordinated, collaborative, and person-centred approach. It is part of a national movement to end homelessness in Australia led by Australian Alliance to End Homelessness. For more information about Logan Zero visit https://loganzero.org.au/