Minutes of the Homelessness
Taskforce Shoalhaven
Meeting Date: Thursday, 1
September 2022
Location: Jervis
Bay Rooms, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 2:05pm
The following members were present:
Mayor Amanda Findley – Chairperson
The Hon. Gareth Ward MP – left meeting at 3:40pm
Clr Moo D'Ath (remotely)
Clr Evan Christen
Clr Patricia White
Clr Tonia Gray (remotely) – left meeting at 4:09pm
Mr Peter Dover – SALT
Ms Ash Hudson - SALT
Ms Patricia David – Unions Shoalhaven (remotely)
Mr Bernard Gleeson - St Vincent De Paul – left meeting
at 3:45pm
Ms Justine O'Reilly - Shoalcoast
Community Legal Centre
Capt Matthew Sutcliffe – The Salvation Army (remotely)
Ms Olivia Todhunter - Legal Aid
NSW (remotely) – joined at 2:21pm
Ms Erin Mullaly – Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre
(remotely)
Ms Emilie Martin
Ms Cathy Campbell – Southern Cross Housing
Mr Eric Coulter – Southern Cross Housing
Ms Julie Bugden -Shoalhaven
Homeless Hub (remotely) – left meeting at 3:55pm
Ms Ruby Hansen-Tarrant – Age Matters (remotely)
– joined at 2:21pm
Mr Keith Davis
Mr Stuart Bellingham
Mr Michael Sweeney
Ms Julianne Hopkins
Mr Digby Hughes – Homelessness Australia
Mr Blake Richards - My Best Life
Ms Sarah Date – Safe Waters
(remotely) – left meeting at 3:29pm
Mr Adam Gowen – Safe Waters (remotely)
Mr Chris Martin – Safe Waters (remotely)
Ms Jodi Blair – Safe Waters (remotely)
Mr Kent Lawking – Safe Waters (remotely)
Others Present:
Carey McIntyre – Director – City Futures
James Ruprai – Director – City Development
Gordon Clark – Section Manager – Strategic
Planning
Colin Wood – Manager – Certification &
Compliance (remotely) – left meeting at 2:40pm
Michael Paine – Manager - Community Connections
Carly McWalters – Team Leader – Community
Capacity Building
Marsha Makary – Community Capacity Builder -
Homelessness
The Chairperson opened the meeting with an Acknowledgement
of Country.
Apologies were received from Clr
Ell, Penni Wildi, Maria Mitchell, Libby Topp, Lindy Meeves, Alice Russack,
Lucinda Knapp, Raul Arregui and Jane Lewis.
Confirmation of the Minutes
|
RESOLVED (Gareth Ward MP/Clr White)
That the Minutes of the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven
held on Tuesday 24 May 2022 be confirmed.
CARRIED
|
Nil.
Presentations
HT22.18 Doing It Tough Guide
Update
|
HPERM Ref: D22/305975
|
Shoalhaven City Council’s
Community Capacity Builder, Homelessness - Marsha Makary provided a
presentation to the Homelessness Taskforce on the recent development of the
Doing It Tough Directory in partnership with Southern Cross Housing.
·
It is a guide for those needing extra support, including
crisis and homeless support.
·
The Directory was released at the Thrive Together Fair,
held on 3 August 2022.
·
The online version of the Director is available on
Path2Home website, which is maintained by Southern Cross Housing.
·
Council
is looking into available funding options for the future printing of hard copies of the
Directory for distribution to service providers.
·
A
softcopy of the Doing It Tough Directory book will be made available via the
Council website.
·
Council
will distribute the Directory to Council’s frontline staff to assist
them when they come into contact with people who are experiencing
homelessness or doing it tough. The emergency services – Police,
Hospital and Ambulance services staff - will also receive copies of the book
for the same purpose of supporting staff engagement with people doing it
tough.
·
The
approximate cost for 1000 copies is $4,295, or for 2000 copies $6,995 through
Ulladulla Printing Service.
·
Mr Hughes
suggested investigating printing options through Street Smart via the small
organisations who are members of the Taskforce.
·
Mr Michael
Paine - Manager - Community Connections advised that Community Connections
are currently undertaking discussions regarding distribution of the Directory
through Allied Health and local GP clinics.
·
Ms
Campbell advised that Southern Cross Housing is launching a new website next
week. The information for service providers who are listed in the Directory will
appear on a drop-pin map, similar to a real estate search, and will be
available online for people to access.
·
|
HT22.19 2022 Thrive Together Fair
Presentation
|
HPERM Ref: D22/305994
|
Shoalhaven City Council’s
Community Capacity Builder, Homelessness - Marsha Makary provided a
presentation to the Homelessness Taskforce on the recent Thrive Together Fair
held on 3 August 2022.
·
Marsha
acknowledged and gave thanks to the Planning Working Group - Kate Morris
(TAFE), Jasmine Huang (Shoalhaven Legal Centre), Samantha Stiff (Headspace),
Patricia David (Unions Shoalhaven), Lucinda Knapp (ALS), Ash Hudson &
Peter Dover (SALT), Lindy Meeves (ISHLD), Emma Wood (Shoalcoast), Fiona Lam
(SNS) Samantha Kettlewell (Beyond Empathy) and Gareth McAuslin (GPH) as well
as Council’s Communication Team.
·
There
were three components of the Fair being the Donation Drive (6 June – 15
July), the callout to organisations to join the Fair, and the Fair itself.
·
The aim
of the Donation Drive was to put together dignity packs containing essential
items for distribution at the Fair which had a great response. 250 bags were
made including Escabags, family bags, single men and single women bags. All
of the bags were given away by 12:00 at the Fair.
·
There
were approximately 350 attendees at the Fair.
·
There
was discussion around planning ideas for future Fairs. Some suggestions
included:
o Holding some smaller pop
up type fairs throughout the Shoalhaven to reach more areas – eg Ulladulla
/ Bay & Basin / North venues in addition to the Thrive Together Fair in
its current format.
o This format could use
established organisations which would reach their contacts and clientele in
the areas and could reduce hire fee expenses.
·
Sarah
Date – Safewaters advised that there is a Community Expo taking place
on 21 October in Ulladulla and that she will forward the information to Ms Marsha
Makary for distribution to members of the Homelessness Taskforce Shoalhaven.
·
Clr
Christen asked whether a breakdown of attendee data was available, for
example men/women/mothers/children
·
Transport
to and from the event was discussed as a way to encourage community
attendance from all areas of Shoalhaven. There may be other options in local
communities for example Bowling Club buses.
|
HT22.20 Safe Waters Presentation
|
HPERM Ref: D22/315894
|
Sarah Date
from Safe Waters provided a presentation to the Homelessness Taskforce on how
Safe Waters began and their journey towards opening community-funded
homelessness shelter(s).
·
Safe
Waters has just celebrated it’s 3 year anniversary on 19 August.
·
The model
was based off SALT’s Safe Shelter in Nowra.
·
Initially,
Safe Waters was seeking properties through the Churches in the Ulladulla area
but as this was unsuccessful, they ended up with a two-bedroom private rental
property in South Street, Ulladulla.
·
This
property opened on 1 November 2020, and since that time there have been
almost 200 inquiries for assistance, but have only been able to assist 66
people.
·
The
property has two bunk beds sleeping 4 people in each bedroom but this has
presented some difficulties for some applicants.
·
A Highway
Shelter has been donated to Safe Waters by Groundswell Church, but there have
been delays in finishing the renovations on this property due to
accessibility and bushfire regulations.
·
It is
proposed that the Highway Shelter be used for crisis accommodation in the
Ulladulla area, of which there is none at the current time.
·
Another
property which is owned by Council in St Vincent Street is planned to become
another shelter in the future.
·
It is
planned that the Highway Shelter will be made available for women and the St
Vincent Street Shelter will be made available for men.
·
Colin
Wood advised that Council is working with the access consultant for the
Highway Shelter property and will meet onsite with the consultant once the performance
report has been provided.
·
A meeting
will be scheduled between Safe Waters, Council staff and Council members once
the access consultant report has been completed.
|
HT22.21 Southern Cross Housing
Leasehold Program
|
HPERM Ref: D22/339521
|
Eric Coulter
- Southern Cross Housing (SCH) provided a presentation to the Homelessness
Taskforce on the Southern Cross Housing Leasehold Program.
·
Community
Housing Leasehold Program is supplementary funding to assist with the extra
provision of social housing in the Shoalhaven area and other Southern Cross
Housing locations.
·
Of the
2300 Southern Cross Housing properties, approximately 311 are leasehold homes
which are leased by SCH and then sublet to SCH tenants in a normal lease
agreement.
·
30
long term homeless people who are rough sleepers have been housed through the
Together Home program in the Shoalhaven and southern region.
·
Most
of the properties are rented through real estate agents, but there are some
that are rented through private landlords with private management agreements
in place.
·
SCH
offer three rental choice products:
1. The Rent Choice Start
Safely is a 3-year tapered subsidy program targeted to tenants who are fleeing
domestic violence. For the first year tenants pay social housing rent (25% of
income + 100% of rental assistance). Over the proceeding four blocks of six
months the rent eventually goes up to the market rent.
2. The Rent Choice Youth is
to assist young people into rental accommodation, currently there are 3
active tenants on this program in Shoalhaven. Rent Choice Youth is similar to
the Rent Choice Start Safely platform but also looks at the potential of
tenants to earn income.
3. The Rent Choice Assist is
for accommodation after the bushfires and COVID pandemic and is managed by
Southern Cross Housing. This is for a shorter period of 12 months.
·
SCH
also offer a Private Rental Subsidy for people with a chronic disability that
can’t secure a property in the private rental market when their tenancy
becomes at risk.
·
There
is also Short Term / Temporary Accommodation for people which has an overall
cap of 28 days over a 12 month period.
|
Note: Sarah Date – Safe Waters left the meeting at
3:29pm.
Note: The Hon. Gareth Ward MP left the meeting at 3:40pm.
Note: Mr Bernard Gleeson - St Vincent De Paul left the meeting
at 3:45pm.
Reports
HT22.22 Updated Action Table
Report - September 2022
|
HPERM Ref: D22/340296
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the
Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce:
1. Acknowledge the following actions as being
complete and remove from the action table:
a. HT22.12 Affordable Housing Strategy / State
Housing Situation - Annual Report requested
2. Acknowledge the following actions will be
completed at the Homelessness Taskforce meeting on 1 September and can be
removed from the action table upon completion:
a. HT22.16 Doing it Tough Guide / Access to NSW
Register - Airbnb - Report Request
b. HT22.17 Southern Cross Housing - Housing
Leasehold Program / Safe Waters - work undertaken
3. Acknowledge the following actions require
further action and consideration by the Homelessness Taskforce:
a. HT22.13 Homelessness Interagency - Taskforce
Strategic Priorities investigations - Crisis Accommodation / Holiday rentals
/ Affordable - Social housing / Income support - report request
b. HT22.15 Social / Affordable Housing Funding -
advocate to Federal Government - Cooperative housing - Regional Planning
|
RESOLVED (Peter Dover / Keith Davis)
That the
Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce:
1. Acknowledge the following actions as being
complete and remove from the action table:
a. HT22.12 Affordable Housing Strategy / State
Housing Situation - Annual Report requested
2. Acknowledge the following actions will be
completed at the Homelessness Taskforce meeting on 1 September and can be
removed from the action table upon completion:
a. HT22.16 Doing it Tough Guide / Access to NSW
Register - Airbnb - Report Request
b. HT22.17 Southern Cross Housing - Housing
Leasehold Program / Safe Waters - work undertaken
3. Acknowledge the following actions require
further action and consideration by the Homelessness Taskforce:
a. HT22.13 Homelessness Interagency - Taskforce
Strategic Priorities investigations - Crisis Accommodation / Holiday rentals
/ Affordable - Social housing / Income support - report request
b. HT22.15 Social / Affordable Housing Funding -
advocate to Federal Government - Cooperative housing - Regional Planning
CARRIED
|
HT22.23 Shoalhaven Community
Strategic Plan for Homelessness Progress Update
|
HPERM Ref: D22/311944
|
Recommendation (Item to be
determined under delegated authority)
That the Homelessness Taskforce
receive the report for information on the current progress and proposed next
steps of the Shoalhaven Community Strategic Plan for Homelessness.
|
RESOLVED (Digby Hughes / Justine O'Reilly)
That the Homelessness Taskforce
receive the report for information on the current progress and proposed next
steps of the Shoalhaven Community Strategic Plan for Homelessness.
CARRIED
|
HT22.24 Shoalhaven City Mayor's
Relief Fund for Homelessness
|
HPERM Ref: D22/348224
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That the
Homelessness Taskforce:
1. Receive the Mayors Relief Fund for
Homelessness in Shoalhaven report for information.
2. Endorse the proposal for the Mayors Relief
Fund for Homelessness in the Shoalhaven. This proposal will consist of two
components:
a. Conduct a community wide appeal for monetary
donations to the Mayoral Relief Fund for Homelessness, and
b. Administer a funding program to provide quick
access funding for the Shoalhaven community to support initiatives that
assist people who are, or are at risk of, experiencing homelessness.
|
RESOLVED (Peter Dover / Digby Hughes)
That the
Homelessness Taskforce:
1. Receive the Mayors Relief Fund for
Homelessness in Shoalhaven report for information.
2. Endorse the proposal for the Mayors Relief
Fund for Homelessness in the Shoalhaven. This proposal will consist of two
components:
a. Conduct a community wide appeal for monetary
donations to the Mayoral Relief Fund for Homelessness, and
b. Administer a funding program to provide quick
access funding for the Shoalhaven community to support initiatives that
assist people who are, or are at risk of, experiencing homelessness
CARRIED
|
HT22.25 National Cooperative
Housing Commission - Proposal to Establish Working Group
|
HPERM Ref: D22/316064
|
Mr Digby Hughes
- Homelessness Australia advised that Common Equity is the peak body for
housing cooperatives in NSW and would be able to provide assistance and
advice regarding their cooperative housing models in NSW.
|
Recommendation (Item to
be determined under delegated authority)
That:
1. A working group be formed to develop a website
for the purpose of creating a groundswell of public support for a National
Cooperative Housing Commission with the charter of assisting financially
challenged communities to establish affordable housing estates nationwide.
This would be similar to the US model, reference; The National Association of
Housing Cooperatives coophousing.org.
2. The working group then develop a proposal for
a pilot cooperative housing estate within the Shoalhaven in readiness for any
Government distribution of funds.
|
RESOLVED (Keith Davis / Clr White)
That:
1. The Homelessness Taskforce receive the report
for information and thank Mr Davis for submitting the report.
2. Council staff consider the role and
opportunities that Collaborative Housing could play in the Councils Affordable
Housing Strategy work and in the development of the Homelessness Plan,
including the need for a working party and Council’s role in it.
CARRIED
|
Note: Ms Julie Bugden -Shoalhaven
Homeless Hub left the meeting at 3:55pm.
HT22.26 Collective Home Project
|
HPERM Ref: D22/347531
|
Mr Peter Dover – Salt noted
the following points regarding the Collective Home Project:
·
The housing
situation in the Shoalhaven is now at an emergency level, no longer at the
crisis level.
·
18,000
homes in the Shoalhaven are considered unoccupied, which are predominantly
holiday and Airbnb homes.
·
Seeking
funds from State and Federal Government to make 500 houses available to those
community members who are suffering from disadvantage.
·
It
will be a 3 – 5 year project.
|
Recommendation
That the
“Collective Home” Project be endorsed by the Shoalhaven
Homelessness Taskforce.
|
RESOLVED (Peter Dover / Amanda Findley)
That the “Collective
Home” Project be endorsed by the Shoalhaven Homelessness Taskforce.
CARRIED
|
Note: Clr Tonia Gray left the meeting at 4:09pm.
general
business
HT22.27 Homeshare Funding Project
- Shoalhaven
|
The Hon. Gareth Ward MP advised that there is an
opportunity to investigate funding options to establish a program based on
the “Homeshare” Program, which is working extremely well in the
Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
The Homeshare Program partners people who are in genuine
need of accommodation with people who are living on their own and are lonely
or need assistance around the home, where the prospective tenant can provide
assistance to the homeowner in return for a room at a reduced rental rate. It
was noted that a coordinator to administer the partnership arrangements would
be required.
|
RECOMMENDATION (Peter Dover / Keith Davis)
That Mayor
Amanda Findley write to the Hon Gareth Ward MP on behalf of Shoalhaven City
Council to seek support for the Homeshare funding project for the Shoalhaven.
|
There being no further business, the meeting concluded, the
time being 4:15pm.
Mayor
Amanda Findley
CHAIRPERSON