State's $27.8m outreach plan for rough sleepers faces capacity fears from homelessness services

The state government's plan to expand the "by-name" program statewide will see teams of homelessness workers sent onto streets across Victoria to profile homeless people, build trust, prioritise those in greatest need and connect them to housing and support services. The program already operates in inner Melbourne, where the City of Melbourne has maintained a by-name list since 2019 and currently has 140 people on it.

But homelessness services say the expansion will increase demand on an already stretched system. Crisis accommodation centres are regularly full by 11.30am, forcing some homeless people into unsafe accommodation, according to service providers.

Council to Homeless Persons chief executive Deborah Di Natale backed the government's push for assertive outreach as a vital lifeline for people sleeping rough. However, she said the program would probably cost $31 million to deliver and did not go far enough to address the underlying housing shortage.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The program aims to reduce visible rough sleeping but may shift pressure onto already overwhelmed crisis accommodation and housing services.
If crisis centres cannot keep up, the assertive outreach could identify more people in need without a place to send them, potentially worsening street homelessness.
The program's success will depend on parallel investment in affordable housing and emergency accommodation, which advocates say is insufficient.

Background

Victoria's "by-name" approach to homelessness is modelled on methods used in other Australian cities and internationally. Instead of waiting for homeless individuals to present at services, outreach workers actively identify and record people sleeping rough, track their needs, and coordinate support. The City of Melbourne began operating a by-name list in 2019, but homelessness has continued to grow in the CBD. The state government's $27.8 million expansion aims to extend the model across Victoria.

Key Perspectives

[Homelessness services]: Already at capacity, with crisis centres full before lunchtime. They warn the new program will add demand without a corresponding increase in accommodation supply, potentially leading to unsafe placements. [State Government]: The assertive outreach program is designed to proactively connect rough sleepers with support and housing. The government has committed $27.8 million to the expansion. [Council to Homeless Persons]: CEO Deborah Di Natale described the program as a vital lifeline but said it would likely cost $31 million and does not go far enough. She called for greater investment in housing and support.

What to Watch

How quickly crisis accommodation wait times grow as outreach workers identify more rough sleepers.
Whether the state government commits additional funding for housing supply to match the expanded outreach.
The number of rough sleepers identified by the new teams compared with the capacity of existing services to house them.

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