Introduction
The housing and homeless crisis is nationwide.
Homelessness rarely has one single cause; usually it is due to a number of reasons. Primary causes relate to poverty, inequality and lack of affordable housing, often coupled with systems failures and individual circumstance. The Simon Communities come across many reasons why people become homeless and we deal with them all. We work with over 7,000 people each year, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Our Annual Report in 2014 reported a 20% increase in the number of people turning to us for help. The number of people in emergency accommodation continues to grow highlighting the extent of the crisis and the vulnerability of many people who are homeless. This is a nationwide housing and homeless crisis affecting urban and rural areas. Limited access to housing and support services is increasing the risk of homelessness and is preventing people moving out of homelessness. Responses must be nationally driven but locally resourced and delivered to ensure people can remain in their communities where they have family and support networks, when they run into housing and financial difficulties, often times when these supports are most important.
