Submission: Federal Government Green Paper on Homelessness

RLC is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the Federal Government Green Paper on Homelessness. This response focuses on the capacity of mainstream community-based services to contribute to the prevention of homelessness.

RLC welcomes the Federal Government’s stance on addressing homelessness in Australia. We seek to provide recommendations on how to prevent homelessness, based on our experience providing services targeted at assisting people who are disadvantaged in our community.

RLC makes the following recommendations:

• The increased provision of affordable rental accommodation.
• Repeal the punitive provisions of the Housing Amendment (Tenant Fraud) Act 2008.
• Government to compulsory acquire properties that are untenanted or otherwise empty for longer than 18 months and convert to affordable public housing. Alternatively, to implement the use of EDMOs under similar circumstances.
• Ongoing secure funding for community based services that have a demonstrated capacity to provide services that prevent homelessness