On an average day in 2007-08, over 14,000 homeless people were
accommodated through the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program
(SAAP), according to a report released today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare.
'This was around a 4% increase from 2006-07,' said report author
Felicity Murdoch.
'Homeless shelters continue to help a lot of people who need
accommodation, but not everyone who needs a place is able to get
one,' she said.
According to the report, Demand for SAAP accommodation by
homeless people 2007-08, on any given day, less than half
(41%) of all new requests for immediate accommodation were
successful, with about 385 people (or 59%) turned away.
'This is a slight increase from that reported in 2006-07, when
368 people (or 57%) were turned away,' Ms Murdoch said.
The report also showed that some groups find it harder to get
accommodation than others.
'Family groups, for example, are more likely to be turned away
than single people,' she said.
'One possible reason for this is that, once families do receive
accommodation, they tend to stay longer than individuals, which
means the accommodation appropriate for families is already in use
and therefore unavailable for other families in need,' Ms Murdoch
explained.
'But it's not as simple as supply and demand. For example, not
all people who are homeless seek government funded crisis
accommodation - but they might if the likelihood of getting it was
higher,' she said.
External factors, such as the ability to access public housing,
can also influence how long people stay in crisis accommodation
before moving on.
The Supported Accommodation Assistance Program, which is now
incorporated into the National Affordable Housing Agreement, is
jointly funded by the Australian Government and the state and
territory governments.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare is the lead
agency in producing SAAP statistical reports. In addition to
collating and analysing standard administrative data, the Institute
analyses surveys of people turned away from SAAP-funded
accommodation.
Thursday 28 May 2009
Further information: Ms Felicity Murdoch, AIHW
02 6244 1018, mob. 0418 271 395
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. (02) 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications area
for the availability of Demand for SAAP
accommodation by homeless people 2007-08.