Frankston City Strategic Housing and Homelessness Alliance

 

What we are doing to reduce homelessness

Rough sleeping and other forms of homelessness is an increasing issue in Frankston requiring a sophisticated and coordinated approach along with new innovative solutions. Council is committed to reducing homelessness by providing information and referrals for people requiring assistance to appropriate service providers, monitoring data, building awareness and advocating for change.

Frankston Strategic Housing and Homelessness Alliance

The Frankston City Strategic Housing and Homelessness Alliance is represented by all key services with a commitment to alleviating homelessness in Frankston City.  The Strategic Alliance develops and drives a shared agenda for improving, aligning and expanding the capacity of Frankston City’s housing and homelessness service system to better respond to the increasing pressures of homelessness within the municipality.

Members of the Strategic Alliance are:

  • Bolton Clarke
  • Community Support Frankston
  • Frankston City Council 
  • Launch Housing
  • Melbourne City Mission
  • NEAMI National
  • Mentis Assist
  • Peninsula Community Legal Centre
  • Peninsula Health
  • Southern Homelessness Services Network
  • The Salvation Army Homelessness – Frankston
  • WAYSS
  • White Lion
  • Wintringham
  • Youth Support and Advocacy Service

    The shared objectives of the Strategic Alliance are to:

  • Raise awareness of the emerging trends, issues and factors contributing to homelessness.
  • Develop an evidence based strategic plan, program logic and advocacy framework.
  • Expand the capacity of the housing and homeless service sectors to effectively respond to and reduce homelessness.
  • Enhance planning controls and partnerships to increase social and affordable housing supplies.
  • Explore ‘Shared Value’ opportunities to increase resourcing.

Frankston Zero

Launched during National Homelessness Week in 2021, Frankston Zero is a major initiative to combat homelessness and assist rough sleepers in Frankston City.

Frankston Zero was established by the Frankston City Strategic Housing and Homelessness Alliance as a local solution to addressing the rising rates of rough sleeping homelessness in Frankston City. The goal of Frankston Zero is to achieve Functional Zero homelessness for people sleeping rough in Frankston City.

Functional Zero homelessness will be reached when the number of people entering and experiencing rough sleeping homelessness within a month is less than the average 6-monthly placement rate into long-term housing. Once achieved it must be sustained and any future experiences of rough sleeping homelessness in Frankston City are brief, rare and non-reoccurring. This will be because the housing, accommodation and support resources required to end rough sleeping homelessness are sufficient and efficiently coordinated enough to meet the needs of all people who sleep and live in Frankston City.

Frankston Zero is based on international best practice models to end homelessness, and involves a coordinated homelessness response where information and resources are shared to minimise the time spent experiencing homelessness for individual rough sleepers. 

The initiative operates beyond traditional funding models and includes holistic support including mental health, family violence and trauma support, while working with the person to find secure housing. 

The State Government has offered continued funding for local Assertive Housing and Supportive Housing Teams (Launch Housing and Neami National) for an additional two to four years. This was a crucial enabler for the delivery of Frankston Zero.

Listen to Amanda Williams from Neami National chat to 3RPP about Frankston Zero.