On any given night, 105,000 Australians are homeless and without safe, secure or affordable housing. Every day, more than half the people who request immediate accommodation from homelessness services are turned away. Homelessness has profound effects on various groups in society including families, young people, women escaping domestic violence, indigenous Australians, and people with substance abuse and mental health problems. Homelessness results in social and economic costs to individuals, families, communities and the nation. How is homelessness currently defined and how are homeless people counted? Who are the homeless and how can they be housed? This book presents a current overview of the plight of Australia's homeless, exploring their unmet needs and strategies to address the entrenched problem of homelessness. |