Homelessness on the Mornington Peninsula

To tackle the #homelessness issue on the #morningtonpeninsula one needs to understand the complexity of why it's happening.

"The Salvation Army’s Social Justice Stocktake report released last year showed an estimated 2600 people were experiencing homelessness in the federal Flinders electorate, which covers the Mornington Peninsula, with a social housing shortage of 300 homes."

An informative article by Benjamin Preiss - The Age who interviewed Ben Smith - Manager Mornington Community Information and Support Centre Inc.; Loretta Buckley - Homelessness Manager - Salvation Army; Everybody's Home Spokesperson Kate Colvin; and local residents with lived experience.

Council' has adopted the #housingcrisis declaration to target housing affordability and availability on the #morningtonpeninsula and commits to increase advocacy to end homelessness and housing insecurity on the Peninsula and work with local community providers on initiatives such as:

* The Affordable Housing Partnership EOI: https://shape.mornpen.vic.gov.au/affordable-housing-peninsula

* The Stable One Winter Shelter Project: https://stableone.org/winter-shelters/

The Shire is the highest LGA in Victoria experiencing a growth in housing shortages with a decrease in affordable housing availability on the Peninsula from 72.5% in 2001 to only 6% in 2019 and 1818 people on the wait list for public housing! That is not ok.

Everybody's Home campaign financial stress map highlights alarming stats for our people: In the Dunkley electorate (63.028 households) there are 59% renters in stress and 46% mortgagees in stress with Flinders (76,006 households) showing 51% renters in stress and 31.4% mortgagees in stress as at 2022.  https:///everybodyshome.com.au/financial-stress-map-victoria/ 

The right to an adequate standard of living is a fundamental human right. It is part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was accepted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948.[1]

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

— Article 25.1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights[1]

Read article "Metres from millionaires row, homelessness crisis worsens on Mornington Peninsula - The Age - 28th May, 2022  https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/metres-from-millionaires-row-homelessness-crisis-worsens-on-mornington-peninsula-20220526-p5aon5.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR0BgB9Cbbc7VzEfhqkOX6GXvaOLlAsjQnGnRkz4FOtM7wIR46nTsKp73jg#Echobox=1653711557