The national awareness of the plight of homeless Australians is held each year in the first full week of August, the coldest time of the year, running from the 4th to 10th this year with the theme, 'Housing End Homelessness'. With each year the problem of homelessness grows worse. Our political leaders showing little interest in the plight of the homeless, letting people die on our streets because they don't have a roof over their head, unfortunately much of the problem is left to private under resourced and struggling charitable organizations, like The Salvation Army to name just one.

An interesting YouTube, about Melbourne, but could be any large city or town in Australia. Runs for 27 minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGnes7PyMuw

if they cared, and they do not, the federal government could fix this in months
How anyone on unemployment benefits is expected to pay rent is a concern
Any of us could become homeless in fact one living in the scrub near me is very highly educated and no bludger

Homelessness just emphasises poor preparation and poor choices.
Are they where they are through misfortune, poor planning and choices or their own will?

Hi there BELLY...

I recall when I was still in uniform, we'd slowly drive through Belmore Park (near Central Railway) in our truck (Ford 150 caged vehicle) usually around 0100 - 0500h in mid-winter, and we'd see these poor old buggers huddling under every bit of clothing & material they could find in an attempt to ward off the cold.

And as you would imagine, we'd occasionally find a deceased person slumped over or off, one of the park benches, due to the lack of warmth, poor diet, age, insufficient meds, and general inattention from anyone. Many a time the coppers would part with their nightly feed, they'd brought from home, and give it to them. Knowing they could easily purchase something to eat from many of the 24hr 'greasy joes' that abound the place.

It's been a while since I've been down that way. It's to be hoped things have improved? Once the Mathew Talbot shelter was full, the poor old chaps had nowhere else to go. A real indictment on our society, allowing these homeless people to live uncared for, on the streets?

Dear Paul,

Thanks for the video.

It's heart-wrenching.

According to the ABS stats
despite sustained economic growth homelessness
has increased by 14% since 2011 and in NSW , by 27%.

What's scary is that there are thousands under the
age of 12, and the overall figure of homeless people
is given as over 100,000 in Australia and growing.

The causes of homelessness are many, ranging from
family violence, shortage of affordable housing,
physical and or mental health issues, unemployment or
job loss, drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, family
and relationship breakdown or not feeling safe at home.

Homelessness can affect anyone. It does not discriminate.

What we need are financial investment and support in
organisations that can and do provide services to help
people experiencing homelessness find a permanent and
safe place to live. Find a positive community
connection and services to help the underlying reasons for
their homelessness.

Helping people overcome their problems
and get back on track deserves our support -
financial and other. Organisations
like the Salvos and other charities need help. It costs
money to provide services to those in need. We have many
wonderful organisations that provide free services.
Like - St Canice's - which provides free meals in Kings
Cross.

We have always supported the Salvos and Vinnies.
I hope more people will. Especially our government.

unfortunately the breakdown of the family unit has led to great increases in homelessness. Socialist will continue to argue that we need more money to solve the problem even know its many of their ideologies that has caused the problem. Reality is that the more the family is destroyed the more homelessness, mental health, drugs, suicide. More money nornally means more ngos etc. Better to stop people falling off the fence than trying to pick up pieces. Children need a dad and mum and security. Not always possible but certainly the best option to prevent so many of these social tragedies.

Hi there RUNNER...

You're so right when you say the breakdown of families, impacts and causes homelessness. Some family's don't want their old alcoholic family member, living with them, because he smells, or waffles on endlessly at the dinner table, so they turf him out, with only the pension available to him, in which to live. So sad. If he were wealthy, none of it would matter, they'd overlook his personal difficulties.

In the bush we are seeing homeless who have been ex city folk
Not near all can be blamed for their downfall
EG timber mills rent home to workers,if thing takes a downturn the home is lost with the job
For a few old age saw both go not anything lacking
Never understand the dry hearts of those who blame the victim,we once said fair go mate meant something

And what about those poor Chinese women who have been reduced to begging on the streets of Melbourne! And in the past few weeks my wife counted three late middle aged Chinese bag women wandering the streets of Sydney's North Shore pushing supermarket trolleys with the belongings in them.

A National Service scheme would reduce homelessness by 75% overnight !

Cut the pressure on housing availability caused by our ridiculously high migration, particularly of uneducated unemployable refugees, & the housing commissions in each state might be able to house many more of these people.

Rents in some country towns should be affordable, I wonder why they don't try the bush. The grog should be the same

Regardless of how little rent they were asked to pay, many of them would rather buy another drink than "waste" a cent on housing.

I suppose the watch houses were too full of real crims for you to find something to charge them with, so they had somewhere warm to sleep o sung wu.

Maybe homelessness is just a byword for dispossession as Australia transitions from being an Anglo Australian nation to becoming a Sino Australian nation. The same thing happened to the Aboriginals when the whites moved in displacing them from their lands.

- Nope, I'm not copping it -

This is what I found in under 2 mins when I specifically looked for house rentals in Victoria under $150 per week.

1 Bedroom unit $130 per week
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-newborough-427040866

Modern 1 Bedroom unit $140 per week
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-swan+hill-409877747

1 Bedroom house $145 per week
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-horsham-427130754

Newstart Allowance Rate: Single, no children $555.70 per fortnight
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/newstart-allowance/how-much-you-can-get

* Take note this is the rate for unemployed, not pensioners or disabled who may have higher needs and thus a higher rate

Rent Assistance Rate: Single, no children $137.20 per fortnight
http://www.dss.gov.au/housing-support/programmes-services/commonwealth-rent-assistance

Is anyone here prepared to look at this seriously and stop lying?

Full Rate Newstart Allowance + Rent Assistance = $692.90

Say you choose the Modern 1 bedroom unit in Swan Hill
Let's have another look at it.
http://www.google.com/maps/@-35.3440408,143.5488185,3a,75y,347.4h,81.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUv9KJkEeYNzeh9VZJ1talg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Sure, it ain't no palace and it could use a few trees, but what do you want for $140 week?

If you're not sold on it check out the 3 pics from inside again:
http://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-vic-swan+hill-409877747

$692.90 - $280.00 = $412.90

That's $206.45 per week LEFT OVER to pay for food and electricity.
these expenses aren't cheap, but they're not that expensive.

$120 fortnight for food and electricity costs.

maybe you have a car or medical script costs:
$80 fortnight for fuel, rego and medical script costs.

Sure, there's nothing left over if you're unemployed living by yourself, but should there be?

- But don't bloody tell me that anyone in this country need be homeless -

Here's an ugly hometruth.

The poor choose to be poor.

How? BY DEFAULT

The poor chose to be poor by default;
- By not choosing things that would've otherwise lead to them not being poor. -

What's that saying:
Prior Planning Prevents Pisspoor Performance

It's a capitalist country and they made their choices.
Why is it anyone else's fault if they never learned to save;
Or lived week to week and never had any consideration for the future?

- No-one else's fault but theirs -

AC,

There's a peculiar belief that the poor are in
poverty because they're lazy, idle, and prefer
to live on handouts. This view is fervently
held by many people who don't know any poor
people, have never tried to raise a family on
welfare payments, and haven't the vaguest idea
what poverty is really like.

Opinion polls repeatedly show large sections of the
population favouring cuts to welfare spending, or
favouring plans to "make welfare recipients go to
work."

These attitudes bear little relationship to reality.
A large percentage welfare recipients are children,
aged people, or disabled, most of the rest are
mothers with youn children, and a smaller percentage
are able-bodied men, most of them unskilled workers
in areas of high unemployment. Also there's the myth
that welfare is a terrible burden on the taxpayer.
It's actually a very small percentage of the federal
budget.

Why do these curious myths about the poor persist?

Some people believe that that everyone has the same
chance to get ahead. The poor therefore are supposed to
need incentives to work, instead of help at the expense
of the taxpayer.

There are few complaints however, about how the
government pays out far more in "handouts" to the
non-poor. In the form of tax deductions, and grants,
subsidies, federally subsidised loans, and benefits
in one form or another.

I don’t understand why so many people in this country don’t seem to have families. There is no way any of my children or grandchildren would be allowed to be homeless. Or any of the huge extended family for that matter. There is always room for a mattress on a floor or a spare couch somewhere in the family.
And why do people also assume that a home means somewhere you live alone? What is wrong with sharing?
Unemployed people can pool money for rent. Young people can try rent a room somewhere. Perhaps those lonely old people who are apparently struggling on the pension could rent out a room or two. Make some money and get some company at the same time.
People need to look at more options.

At a glance I'd say that many homeless are not really, they, for reasons of aversion to a little discipline & responsibility, choose to leave family. The most common excuse is abuse.
Whilst I can't think of too many situations being worse than homeless, many homeless need to look at themselves with a little self-scrutiny. Drugs coupled with indiscipline would probably rank highest.
I also believe Govt & bureaucrats such as those in Centrelink have a lot to answer for. Their policies undoubtedly count for much social misery.

All these statements about poverty (because that's what homeless represents!) and I haven't seen any of you make reference to class and social inequality. Or are you all dyed-in-the-wool LNP disciples who believe John Howard when he said 'There is no class in Australia.'? Now there's a real dummy if there ever was one!

Arguing that a people choose to be poor makes as much sense as arguing that people in Mesoamerica chose to be human sacrifices to an Aztec sun god. It's easy to pick the ones on OLO who have done humanities degrees from the great majority of you who haven't.

AC, full marks for having absolutely no idea of what the problem of homelessness really is. Yep, just jump on to realestate.com and problem solved, there is a one bed for rent in Swan Hill, wow great! Lets try to equate you with the facts;

In Victoria alone, there are more than 25,000 homeless persons on any given night. According to Lisa Dalla-Zuanna Salvation Army Housing Manager Victoria. I wont even go into the practicalities of a homeless person in Melbourne trying to rent a one bed in Swan Hill, or some such place. Facts on the housing cries in Australia. Over one weekend in March this year, Anglicare Australia conducted a rental affordability study They found that of 68,485 private listings around the nation for the weekend, no capital city had a property affordable to a single person on Newstart or Youth Allowance. There was only one property for a person on Newstart in the Orange region (NSW) and another in the Riverina (NSW), 554 rentals were affordable for a single person on the aged pension and 317 for those on a disability pension.

Indy was that 75% a typo, your usual figure for your "Press Gang Program" is an unsubstantiated, astronomical 95%. Its always 95% with you, 95% of PS are bludgers, 95% of people agree with me etc. I'll say some on here have lost 95% of their ability to think.

A government, and its supporters who target, desperately,the underprivileged rather than help them is not worth that title
Homeless unemployed, hungry, all sold as victims of their own actions
And the very people who should stand with those poor take the verbale stick to them letting government do little to end homeless people sleeping on our streets
We can and must do far better the recent news is full of our money being spent unwisely let us spend whatever is needed to end homelessness

Dear Belly,

I think ScuMo does have a solution: replace all the homeless, unemployed, etc., with cashed-up Chinese migrants. The Nazis also had a misanthropic approach to handling those whom they saw as not fitting in with their plans. Hail ScuMo!

Hail ScuMo!
Mr Opinion,
Says one who depends on Govt schemes to survive because of self-sufficient incapability !

Dear individual,

Sorry to disappoint you but I have been working flat out past retirement age and will be doing so for a long time. I have a livelihood in engineering and unlike you I can earn an income and be a super smart sociologist at the same time....... And loving it!

Mr Opinion,
Until it can be fully established as to what the real number & reasons for homelessness are, silly quips are extremely unhelpful & even more pointless. Any reasonably brain-endowed will tell you that.

Individual,

I listed the many reasons for homelessness in
my earlier post. They have been established.

Individual a thousand then more reasons exist for homelessness
We if we believed this government, we would say get a job, but too all over regional Australia they, Scomos mob, privatise the jobs, turn them in to casual ones
Then scream Socialism at any one reminding them we subsidise farmers why not the true poor
Why not care about every one, why not if welfare frighten them give everyone a job on fair wages
Building homes, even caravan park style for the homeless is work for some
No one should ever need to sleep on our streets
Individual it seems likely we spend more on offshore detention than we do housing our own homeless

Foxy, I don’t know why you think none of us understand poverty. I was raised in extreme poverty. Then, after I married, I was widowed young and left with four teenage children to finish raising alone, in a remote area where employment options were limited.
So, what did I do? I moved to where I could get a job, albeit a low paying one, then I studied at night to reregister as a nurse so I could increase my options and improve my income so I wasn’t dependent on welfare.
This country offers so many support systems for single mothers and disabled people, compared to most of the world. So many opportunities to retrain or study. Options to move to another town, especially in country areas, where towns are dying for lack of residents and rental is dirt cheap.
And having children is no excuse for women not to work. Mothers have been working for decades, in fact the percentage of women with children in the workforce has always been much higher than most people imagine, right back to the Industrial Age, when mothers worked in factories, and even further back.
As for the mentally ill, and addicts, well they will probably always be homeless because the mentally ill don’t want to conform and the addicts don’t want to spend any money on rent.
And as I previously pointed out, people need to learn to share housing. Yes, there may be far more people than there are homes, but if they shared, as happens all over the world, there wouldn’t be such a gap.

My own empirical knowledge as to the reasons for homelessness is two-fold. Some choose to be h'less, (generally the young) because they don't wish to comply with the household's rules and standards their parents set at home.

However, among this group are young people who've suffered terrible privations in their own home, by one or both parents or siblings, and only wish to escape, from this toxic environment. This particular group also has a higher than average suicide rate.

The second group, are those usually of the older generation, who through whatever circumstances, often alcoholism, unemployment anti-social behaviour, poor hygiene, mental illness, or just people (including a few females), who're difficult to get on with, are homeless, not by choice, but nobody wants them, neither family, former friends or society.

These are the people who generally spend the remainder of their sorry lives in inner-city parks, on benches, and where many of them will die. Sadly among this group are folk who'll have their earthly remains, consigned somewhere in 'Potters Field' at Rookwood. A special place for most of Sydney's itinerants, when God finally takes them.

Therefore I don't give a tinkers cuss what all these 'academics experts' claim, as to the reason for homelessness or otherwise - let these 'experts' put on a set of 'blues' and spend a couple of years in the inner city streets & parks and learn, and cut out all this baloney & bullshite!

Dear Big Nana,

I was speaking in general terms about some of the
myths that exist concerning the poor and poverty
as a result of the findings of surveys, sociological
research and opinion polls. My post was not directed
at you or necessarily any of the posters on this
forum. Interesting that you should think it was.

Many of us have lived in poverty and climbed out of
it. My family arrived in this country with only the
clothes on their back, not knowing the language,
and managed to raise a family, work hard, buy their
own home through blood, sweat, and tears - while
at the same time fighting the prejudices of that
time.

a livelihood in engineering and unlike you I can earn an income and be a super smart sociologist at the same time.......
Mr Opinion,
I'd have no problem believing if you'd said you're an 18 year old student but this ? Sorry bala!

Indy, don't you collect a government handout in the form of an "Aged Pension"? I say cut out the Old farts Pensions and put em' in the Boot Camp! Didn't you also say the last pension increase wasn't enough to pay for another beer down at God's Waiting Room?

'The same thing happened to the Aboriginals when the whites moved in displacing them from their lands.'

yeah and we stole the hospitals and schools and rec centres Mr Opinion. What an evil bunch or are you incapable of thinking.

Right now, in my village of no more than a thousand a middle aged woman faces homelessness
First four shared a rental, all women all content to live in social isolation
So we do not know them,not at all, but the village is small, so we know the circumstances
See all came to work in one of the growing number of food takeaways here
Sales slackened and one by one their jobs went
One is left, not for long the job has gone, the rental is not some ones investment, it is a battlers hope of keeping it, by using the rent instead of shrinking income, to pay for it
Show me why this human tragedy is self made, why another woman may be forced to live in her ageing car on the street

Ah good 'ol Paul1405 is at it again.
I have paid 7.5% towards my pension as did all other Australian workers plus some Super which is the only good legislation to come from a labor govt.
What we oldies get in pension is a small slice in comparison to public service Super & they can actually retire early AND access their Super unlike us who had to work till 65-67.
No negative gearing (Commercial welfare) for us.
If you think we're getting too much then you should have told them to tax us less so we could have become self-funded retirees. If you don't know the definition of handout you really shouldn't use the word. Tell me, are you getting a silly allowance ?

I have nothing of real substance to add to this topic, other than to say I was heartened to read and see, some years ago that the local govt and a couple of charities had provided, between them, the means to lessen some of the burdens in their lives.
One was a food van that prepared 3 hot meals a day and served them in and around the more populated areas or suburbs, so they did not have to walk too far.
This was very successful, and thankfully made a big difference to their lives and well being.
The other thing I came across was an initiative, not sure if it was private or govt backed, where these vans were decked out as mobile bathroom/laundry's.
The idea was the homeless could wash and clean themselves and do some laundry at the same time.
Again, very successful.
This new service completed the cycle of assistance to the homeless and again was very well received, I imagine it went a long way to keeping them in a healthier and hopefully, happier state.
Not sure if these services are still in play or not.
I certainly hope they are, it was making a big difference, and even if it was not intended to keep going, I would hope that while these services are there, the responsible govt departments were working on a much longer or on-going system that would step in and carry on the work of the current ones.

I'd gladly forfeit 5% of my pension to help those in need if it can be proven that not a Cent goes to bureaucrats & I'd expect every other income earning Australian resident to do the same. !

Paul you are a sick fool.

You are too stupid to even be able to see that many of us had it pretty tough as youngsters, through no ones fault, but circumstances.

Just for you, kids like me wore seconds hand, & home made clothes, because of the life our parents had copped.

My father was a young partner in a small company when the depression hit. He lost everything when the depression started, & spent 2 years ringbarking trees, & clearing farm land by hand for 10 bob, [$1.00 to you], a week & keep.

He was just back on his feat, married with a young child when WW11 hit. Just on 5 years later he came out of the air force with 10 quid, [$20.00 to you], & a very cheap civy suit. So at 37 years of age, he restarted his life with that 10 quid, a wife with a young child a cheap suit, & stuff all else.

Nothing special there, he was one of hundreds of thousands, but we were dirt poor, a damn site poorer than any kid is today with our welfare system.

We weren't homeless only because we saved every penny, bought a cheap block of land, & built a dirt floor tin shed, out of flattened out kerosene tins. Nothing too special there either, we were one of dozens doing the same thing on the outskirts of Bathurst, & probably most other towns.

I suggest you try to grow up a bit, learn a few facts & keep your fool mouth shut, until you do. Sling off at those who have worked their back sides off to get somewhere is not a very good look, even for a damn fool.

Paul you are a sick fool.
Hasbeen,
I don't think he has the mentality to understand the meaning !

Hey Paul1405,
"I'll say some on here have lost 95% of their ability to think."
- Well if you want to say that;
- Then I'll say this:

Do you actually know and understand what capitalism is?
Do you and all the homeless people actually understand how our society works?
- I know schools pretty crap and they don't teach kids the right stuff -
(an entirely different discussion)

But do you understand this? :

You have the right to choose whatever life you want;
But you have to live with the consequences of your choices;
Is this some magical principle that has somehow evaded you and all these other people all your lives?

You were born free and not into slavery or servitude.
Your mum was given support to raise you if your father wasnt around.
You were given acces to schooling so you could learn and choose a better future for yourself and your own family.
You were given access to medical treatment if you were sick.
You was allowed to choose who you wanted to marry yourself.
You were given access to a job market with many types of employment;
- And a system of rumeration where you could get paid more if you worked harder or had certain skills;
Alternatively you could open your own business enabling you to earn more than a weekly wage.

You were given every freedom to choose the life you wanted for yourself;
- But part of that deal;

Part of that contract;
Was that YOU have to live with the consequences of your own choices.

[Cont.]

Also I have to make a 'You can't have your bloody cake and eat it too' remark:

That is you promote all the refugees and migrants.
You can't promote such immigration and then whinge about a housing problem that you essentially created yourself by pouring all the new people into the country.

How many homeless people are staying at your place tonight?

And which part of all this is semi-deliberate anyway;
That they are deliberately creating housing demand to inflate and hold up the housing market?

And as for compassion, don't make out I'm heartless towards people.
There's a scale, where people who suffer hardship due to things completely beyond their control get a larger chunk of my compassion than the people who create their own problems and fail to make good choices for themselves get little compassion and have themselves to blame.

Is it my fault people can't manage their own finances well?
Is it my fault people chose to live week to week and never save anything for a rainy day?
Is it my fault people got into poor relationships or didn't get skills or want to work and build a future and a life for themselves?
Whose fault is that?

My advice to the homeless is to move North until the weather is such that winters are not really cold and a bonus is that where it is warmer you don't need as much clothing or food.

How to get there, push bikes are cheap second hand from the Op-Shops as are boots if you decide to walk or you can always take a chance and jump the rattler.

So if we read the insults aimed at Paul my efforts to reduce my sharp rude replies are not needed
Being rude to those we do not agree with is ok here
While we differ on the value of the greens it is my opinion Paul is showing much more care and concern for those in need than some
Would like to point out a truth, while our age did not have ideal starts we did live in a time you could get a job within a day

Hi Issy,

I think I told you before, now retired in Brisbane, in a past life I spent a good deal of time working with homeless people in Sydney, mostly older people, simply trying to get them accommodation, doing the leg work they were not capable of. As recently as last Friday I got a call, out of the blue, from an agency in Sydney asking if I was available to do something for someone, unfortunately I'm not.

What you propose above is what I call the "Hawaiian solution" (many of Americas east cost homeless end up in Hawaii, true, paid for by the government). I've met people who would not even be capable of riding a bike, as for the boots they couldn't even tie their shoelaces. I recall one bloke about 60 who was on 'Newstart', what a joke, the bloke had the mid stages of dementia (un-diagnosed), and only for the fact he was taken to a hospital for copping a bashing where he was living, that he got attention. A very kind hospital social worker got him seen to, and things went from there. The bloke had lost the ability to use an ATM, read letters, meet appointments, basic things we can do, and they had him on Newstart. The only thing he was going to start was dying.

My point is a lot of homeless people are incapable, for all sorts of reasons.

a lot of homeless people are incapable, for all sorts of reasons.
Paul1405,
Yes & that's why the welfare system must be streamlined by draining the swamp that is Centrelink !

Indy and Hassy,

The imaginary 7.5% tax to justify your government handout, well some of us over 65 and not working have also paid the imaginary 7.5% tax, yet receive no aged pension, how does that work? The notion of a pension tax dissipated in the days of Keating.

Hassy, the ones who "sling off" are the self righteous people like you who look down at those less fortunate, and are full of worldly advise from your comfy smug position. Not bad coming from a bloke who said we should nuk 200 million people in Pakistan (remember, I don't forget). You're the one to talk, after saying that I would keep my trap shut.

ALTRAV,

You are slipping, I see some humanitarian tendencies in your very agreeable last post. Yes, the washing bus is operating here in Brisbane, as is the food van 3 nights a week in our local area, over 30 years now. The wife puts in every Monday at her local church where they do lunch for those in need, really anyone who turns up.

The Institute of Public Affairs did an in depth study of 'homelessness' about a year ago. Anyone who read that study would not bother emoting about it, particularly when there is not a thing they can do about it.

Hey Paul1405,
I'm sorry for saying what I said "How many homeless people are staying at your place tonight?"

Obviously, you do make an effort for those less fortunate and it was wrong of me to criticise you that way.

- But that doesn't mean the other things I said about people creating their own problems is any less true.

You want to know why I'm so tough and seemingly lack compassion on issues like these?
A large part of that reason is because I believe we could easily find better solutions.
When I can come up with solutions, then I feel like I earn the right to criticise the status quo.

So lets come up with solutions.

[Cont.]

These 25,000 homeless people in Victoria...
They'd each be getting $137.20 fortnight in rent assistance if they had homes to go to right?
25,000 x $137.20 = $3,430,000 per fortnight the federal government SAVES in rent assistance by these people BEING homeless...

That money that the government would otherwise be spending should be set aside towards a permanent solution.

Let's say we have a competition for all the aspiring engineering students.
$100,000 for the best individual or team who design the best low cost homeless housing solution.

Here's what I envisage:
Max cost $1000 unit.

Metal frame base with a timber floor
Sandwich panel sides, lockable door with small window.
Size: around 2000 to 2400 x 2400 to 2800

Layout: Door opens inwards against right-hand wall.
In front of you stretching the entire wall is a single bed with storage drawers in the base.
Above the single bed is a second (bunk type) bed.
To your left, is a small desk and chair and a small flat-panel tv mounted on the wall.
Above it a second storage compartment.
There are 2 solar panels on the roof, enabling USB charging capability and led lighting.

I want the best design and assembly plan for this.
I'll get work for the dole people to assemble them.

I also want to design a small portable soup kitchen, amenities block, and security office for each site, and the best way to arrange and set up the units.

For the housing units, at $1000 each - we can build 1715 units per week on the cost of the unused rent assistance and solve your problem in about 3 months...

(Use second hand solar panels that are replaced or upgraded from other government buildings rather than buy new)

The problem isn't that there's a homelessness problem.
The problem is no-ones smart enough to figure out solutions...

Problems are nothing more than opportunities to find solutions.

[Con't]
So now all you've got to do is introduce a bill that decree's that unspent rent assistance for people deemed homeless be diverted to a new department or fund responsible for implementing this housing unit plan.

Not only that you create a housing solution for these people spending no-more than what you would if they had somewhere to live;

- And so long as you can maintain those housing units and they stay in them; you won't ever have to pay them rent assistance, so it's a win-win solution for everybody.

Armchair Critic takes his dirty old fountain pen;
Signs his scribble on some recycled toilet paper;
- And your problem is solved -

I want the same kind on solution for larger housing too.
- Straight off the factory production line...

PAUL1405 said something very true in my opinion. '...My point is, a lot of homeless people are incapable for all sorts of reasons...'

Many of the old fella's I've dealt with, were in that category. Some were even incapable of basic toilet hygiene, so much so, just handling them was a difficult job, we weren't issued with latex gloves in those days.

Beneath, all the grime, the stink, the aggressive behaviour, and grumbling, was a human being, discarded by family, friends, and I guess society.

Interestingly, around Easter and Christmas, many of these homeless old fellas pleaded to be arrested because they would get some semblance of Easter and Christmas fare out at Long Bay. These poor old buggers were placed in a particular yard, where I understand they had a couple of 'heavy' sweepers looking after them.

They ensured they bathed under very close supervision, and were not 'stood-over' for their meager tobacco rations. Those who dug their heels in, and refused, would be threatened with the bass broom treatment, though I never heard whether any of them were subjected to such treatment? In any case, it would probably kill them in the process.

As a uniformed policeman, I found working the 'truck' patrolling, inner Sydney's parks and laneways in the middle of the night, quite gratifying in some measure. I felt we were doing something positive trying to look after, those who didn't want to be looked after, nor did they welcome our attention. However, 'there but for the grace of God go I.'

Hi there ARMCHAIR CRITIC...

Your altruism is very apparent, with the amount of care & time you've spent calculating how cheap and affordable housing can be mfg'd and erected ready for purpose. While your idea is meritorious on so many levels, there are those (more than you might think) who have no intention of moving into such a housing arrangement, however suitable it might prove to be. However, your plan might well work for the younger homeless groups.

You mentioned in your outline inter alia - '...a security office for each site...' which suggests there's some degree of supervision, some rules for such an enterprise.

Unfortunately, many of these people are homeless because they reject outright, any monitoring or auditory processes, in any part of their lives, even on a cold night, on a park bench. I can only hope my thinking is out of date, even redundant?

However, I can't help thinking; many of them resent rules and regulations per se, albeit for their overall benefit. None more so than many of these older, indigent men & women, who I'd describe as being intractably homeless, especially as far as observing a set of housing rules and regulations, no matter how good & economic the accommodation might prove to be.

As I said A.C., you wear your human kindness on your sleeve, despite your protestations to the contrary. '...people creating their own problems...'?

o sung wo yes aware of that and it hurts to know it is true
You will be aware of the Calan park center and how it and other such places once housed those now on the streets
Seems the costs over rule so very much now, maybe how we treat people over rides the bottom line, or should
My young self saw, even met, swagmen, on the Hume Highway walking the same trip, even stopping to fill their water bag up and get a half loaf of bread both mother and grandmother kept for them for decades
In my roadworker days we saw the same three one pushing a pram, for twenty years one wearing ear muffs, determined not to even say hello

Seeing as my history as Industrial Designer was to solve problems, one very big part of creating a new product/issue was not looking at what it would/could do, but the negatives. In the case of AC's idea, I have also, in the past given thought to this matter, and in my scenario I was
mindful of the cost, which has been the foundation of my design ethos.
My version entailed using sea containers.
It had all the benefits and very few of the other.
Some of the dis-benefits probably could not be rectified, those would still not denigrate the concept enough to reject it.
Over the years we have seen the rise of the "small house" phenomenon, well in my view it's just another re-labelling job.
They used to be called "caravans".
Anyway the negatives:
Where to place these containers.
How far from services will this "village" be.
What are the on-going expenses, such as water, electricity, rates, taxes, the list goes on.
Then there is the question of maintenance.
The container idea I like because the "village" can be moved in one day with any and all forms of vehicles, they are not restricted to "container trailers, or trucks" only.
With containers you have a further benefit in regards to vandals and miscreants.
A long time ago I discussed this concept with a govt rep, (can't remember anything else) as an answer to the disgraceful behaviour of our coloured friends and the costly destruction of housing they were given; to my knowledge nothing came of it.
If ever there was a need for leveling the playing field, this was it.
The blacks came from a life of living in the bush, the white fella came from a life of living in a house.
The answer to me is very clear, set up seatainers for the blacks, and give the houses to the whites.
At the very least they won't be raping the house of wood to make a fire, then sleep out side, yes this is based on factual reports.
Racist, me?
No just some pragmatic, objective, practical thinking.

G'day there BELLY...Mate, you're right, I forget mental illness is another very real component of the Homelessness problem.

Once we could take someone to the 'Admission Centre' at either Gladesville or Callen Park, Psychiatric Hospitals if their conduct was a little strange and bizarre. I'm not sure where they go now?

It's my understanding the government closed down many of the Psychiatric Hospitals, in order to save money. Thus discharging many patients who still required intensive care and were clearly unable to function within society, never mind get a job and care for themselves.

In my humble opinion, the governments conduct in this matter, is utterly reprehensible in my opinion, and completely heartless into the bargain.

This is just sorta on topic.

Many years ago the Coca-Cola Company was persuaded to change the shape of their bottles to a brick shape, with enough hollow in the base to accept the neck of another bottle.

Hey, presto! Millions of bricks for buildings to house the poor, but the then Socialist regimes in South America cried "Foul"; they were not going to have their people housed in discarded US rubbish, so the grand plan came to nought.

The imaginary 7.5% tax
Paul1405,
Imaginary you say ? When did Keating reduce the tax by 7.5% after he got rid of the idea of an old age pension ? It never showed up in my wage slips !
We don't get hand-outs, only public servants get them.

o sung wo peat Island in the middle of the Hawkesbury River near the now new [45 years old] bridge too housed those in that position
Well remember them being turned out on the streets sad stuff
Often think we could do better even if some would be in onsite buildings in set up parks
A home is the most important thing to build a life on

Hi, (again) BELLY...

You are quite correct, Milson & Peat Islands, both housed severe Psychiatric patients. With Milson Island being turned over to the Dept of Corrective Services. The former housed Prisoners from about about the late 1960s, until it ultimately closed down. I'm not sure of the precise date, I'm sorry. I believe Peat Island was functioning for a bit longer, mainly catering to younger Psychiatric Patients.

Well Indy, who are the "WE"? I paid tax for near 50 years, and I'm not one of the "WE" Based on the amount you supposedly paid, the so called 7.5%, which was never invested to generate a return, all sometime last century, if it ever existed, its now worthless. That tax nest egg you paid should keep you in a "pension" for about 5 minutes. The hypocrisy is you bang on about public servants, yet its PS who have to make sure you get your handout every fortnight. Lay off the public servants, they like most do a good job, to the best of their ability, you can't say the same.

Didn't you say, at one time your were a public servant yourself? If you were obviously one of the elite 5%.

AC,

As part of my history both domestically and professionally, I quoted on jobs or structures as was required.
I ran some quick numbers based on the $1,000 per 'unit', you mention.
I was immediately impressed with your concept.
However upon closer examination and a somewhat more detailed breakdown of the structure and the labour content, I found the figure of $1,000 to 'appear' to be a little ambitious, although commendable.
The overall cost will be greater than $1,000, but still a worthy endeavour.
The hurdle is not the creation and locating of these "villages", but the on going costs.
This can only be achieved if we start diverting money from stupid far fetched ideologies and put THAT money into these kinds of projects.
Again, it either won't happen or if it does, it will be fleeced by some govt minister and his mate under some bogus company, which will be as effective as all the other public services, run by both govt and/or private sector.

Actually the mental institutions were closed not to save money, but after a concerted campaign by the psychiatrist & the do gooders to move the poor souls back into the community.

As all things by idiots, psychiatrist, greens & bleeding hearts they failed to have any idea of the consequences of this, & we got thousands of those who needed incarceration for their own good, living on the street.

I've actually been to this village in Fiji;

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-04/australian-builds-storm-proof-homes-for-fiji-poorest/6444182

I'd rather live in Koroipita, Pete's Village, than most of Lautoka. $12k to a poor Fijian is the equivalent to $12 million to a poor Australian. Don't knock em', should see how some people live in Fiji.

This is not it,

http://www.fiji.travel/us/destinations/denarau-island

Paul,

I like the idea but two things come to mind, $12,000 is alot of money in Fiji.
And the fact that it's stud wall, wood construction, I am impressed if they can withstand 350km/h winds.
I tend towards the container idea for many more benefits than either local construction/assembly or flat pack design.
Good to see there are moves afoot in this direction.
It's a shame, but I had hoped, many years ago that Australia would take the lead, in this type of endeavour.
We have all the necessary criteria and the money to do it, only lacking the political will.
Ah well, maybe after a few other countries have stepped up to the plate, we might finally take the plunge, but I fear we will have to get virtue shamed before it will happen.

ALTRAV, what the government did build in Sydney some years back were "micro units". These units were very small, about 20m sq. floor area. Walk in lounge/bed room, a night and day sofa or single bed, a small table, 2 chairs, a coffee table with the TV on. The kitchenette, basic, small fridge, sink, a few cupboards. The shower, no room for a bath, just a shower cubical, communal laundry etc, washing m/c's forever broken. You would feel claustrophobic living in one, but better than living under a tarp.

The problem was not the units, small as they were, but rather the people living in them. Many were ill-equipped for living on their own, needed day workers to come in, up to 5 days a week, clean, taken them shopping. Then there were the neighbours, some psychiatric types who should have been locked up, not living in a community. They lumped all sorts of people together, big mistake. Basically you had to wait for someone to die to get into these, if you were lucky.

Once put a bloke, about 40 odd, in a private unit at the back of a house in well off sub. Lovely landlady she really wanted to do something for someone , nice self contained unit, private entrance down the side passage, great place. I had my concerns about "Fred", at times he seemed to have the mind of a 5 year old. When "Fred" was homeless he used to graffiti a lot, with a large black texta pen. Been there a couple of days, and to thank the landlady, he goes out to the street and decorates a white car with his black texta pen, he did a real good job, it wasn't even her car. Cops etc, but "Fred" was of the belief he was showing his gratitude, he couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.

"Fred" was of the belief he was showing his gratitude,
Paul1405,
So what did you end up doing about Fred ? There used to be places for the Freds' of this World but as per usual the academic do-gooders thought they knew better thus creating this problem now.

The relevant minister has people to advise him on homelessness and other welfare issues; these people are well paid for their advise; no need for anonymous SJWs to witter on about it.

Hey O Sung Wu,

I don't wish to give anyone a downgrade, in living conditions or dignity;
(And obviously Seniors deserve a level of certain level of peace, safety and dignity.)
My idea seeks only to provide upgrades or solutions to the situations people currently face.
These 'huts' aren't meant to be homes, but simply an emergency provision.
To provide shelter from the elements, a place to get some rest with a little bit of normality (tv or radio), and somewhere to charge your mobile phone.
The other huts can help provide a meal, toilets and sanitation, and somewhere to wash clothes.
The reason for some level of security is because if it's funded by the government the public would have a damn field day if these things turned into 'prostitute huts' and 'junkie suicide booths'.
And my $1000 huts will certainly be better and more dignified than say the '$20-budget-option'
http://youtu.be/VKqdiwVtHvc
But speaking of the $20 budget option; To some that might be an upgrade.
I mean seriously how hard or expensive is it for some plastics manufacturer to use a laser cutter to make those to size in a kit?

"As I said A.C., you wear your human kindness on your sleeve, despite your protestations to the contrary. '...people creating their own problems...'?"

I have to discrimate against those who made bad choices and created their own situations for a couple of reasons:
1. It shows fairness towards the people who did make smarter decisions and didn't burden society with their bad choices.
2. It's to remind people that they made their own choices and aren't necessarily 'owed' anything' by the rest of society.

[Cont.]
Once we've gotten past that, I'm all for solutions.
I support a mixture of Capitalism and Socialism;
For example, we have Capitalist Healthcare (Private Hospitals) with a Socialist base-level (Public Hospitals).
And we have Capitalist Education (Private Schools) and a Socialist base-level (Public Schools)
The socialist base-levels ensure everyone gets a basic standard of education and healthcare;
The capitalist levels means if you can get a higher level of care than provided by the socialist base-level if you're prepared to pay for it.

The loser's of capitalism are 'the ones who didn't get the job'.

In the past, I've spoken of creating a socialist base-level employment scheme;
- Because you can't have free healthcare and free education if you don't provide a free job with which to offset the cost of the others.
By creating a system that includes a provisions for 'the job you have when you don't have a job', you address the fundamental flaws of Capitalism whilst keeping it's benefits.;
- Double Dole - doing things to help the government save money -
This idea works somewhat hand in hand with another idea I had;
To create big factories in every state where relacatable 'social' housing comes off a production line.
(And just so you know, I'm not talking crappy housing, these ones will be good)

It doesn't take too much to develop a 'home you have when you don't have a home' type of solution.

I'm fairly certain that with a little smart thinking you could solve this 'emergency housing' situation with no more spent than what the government already saves in rent assistance from people being homeless in the first place...

Hey ALTRAV,

I'm sure human beings were much smarter and more ingenious when I was younger.
You'd think there's be hundreds of kids and people trying to figure out ways how best to solve this issue and out do each other with creative ideas;
- But sadly it seems like today people just want to whinge about things, instead of enjoying the challenge of working on solutions.
I guess too many kids spend their lives on their gaming consoles and youtube, rather than building tree and cubby houses and other outdoors things;
And raised with a level of entitlement where they expect others to provide everything, show them respect and wait on them.
But I digress...

Materials for the 2 ideas mentioned in my previous post to O sung Wu:
'Corflute', for the cheap budget shelters;
And 'Insulated sandwich panels' for the $1000 units.

Check out the types of prices just at retail on gumtree and ebay:
https://www.ebay.com.au/i/222883053268
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/lawnton/building-materials/insulated-coolroom-panels-sandwich-panels/1070941893

Surely if we build 100,000 of each we can bring the cost down.
Have the sandwich panels manufactured to the correct size for ease of assembly;
Have our own work-for-the-dole people assemble them on a production line
Deliver 8 at a time on a flatbed trailer and a pallet forklift like they do with bricks.

I'm not sure we can actually do them for $1000 as you already mentioned, but the challenge is to try.
And that's why you have a competition;

You don't want people to tell you it can't be done;
You need people busting their brains trying to figure out how it can.
- To drive a more favourable attitude -

That being:

'Failure is not an option. Make it happen'

AC,
You said; "I'm fairly certain that with a little smart thinking you could solve this 'emergency housing' situation with no more spent than what the government already saves in rent assistance from people being homeless in the first place..."

Congratulations in coming up with that concept of cheap emergency housing. Am sure the concept could be used if government put its mind to it.

Some posters here have mentioned mental problems of some of the homeless and my question is:- How many of the homeless have mental problems and really need to be in mental hospitals that can cater for their needs? In my view it was a mistake to close the mental hospitals and our governments (State and federal) need to urgently need to build new facilities to cater for the mentally ill.

Does anyone have any idea how many mentally ill people we have on the streets that really need caring for in hospitals?

Henry L yes they need to be in mental hospitals, but that is not government policy
We live in a world here in NSW that would rather build sporting stadiums than hospitals
Long long ago these folk got turned out on to the streets
And ordinary innocent folks have died after some killed them on our streets
Post ww2 ex army huts formed small towns around Sydney to house our homeless
Later housing refugees
We can do it if we try

Hi there ARMCHAIR CRITIC...

Your level of energy and positivism is incredible and even more; laudable. When juxtaposed with my own thinking, I'd rank a dismal last, in such stakes, unfortunately. Perhaps I'm more pragmatic than is good for me, tending to look upon the poor, the indigent, and the many (discarded) mentally ill, with nothing more than sadness, despair even hopelessness.

I wish I could turn back time, and have you spend a couple of shifts with us on the truck, during the 2300h - 0700h shift. It would allow you to observe first hand, what it's like trying to assist, those who don't wish for our assistance, mumbling we're just dirty 'effing' cops always harassing them.

Whether your vitality and enthusiasm equates with your dictum ('...Failure is not an option. Make it happen...') and gives some impetus or momentum for others to follow, remains to be seen? It would seem to me, short of outright war, many Australians have this attitude '...she'll be right - yeah I'll have another cold one when you're ready Mate...? Apathy & indifference personified. Sometimes that casual attitude both annoys and horrifies in equal measure. But hey, I'm only one person.

As long as such help involves a tiny degree of responsibility people shy away, preferring homelessness.
A National service scheme could have a section with a particular focus on homeless & generally unemployable. They could be housed & fed but they'd need to give a little in return even if only sweeping pathways etc within their accommodation complex. The whole idea is to get people to feel that they do belong & immediately their mentality will go a notch towards improving.
Menial tasks will soon give them the incentive to better themselves. But, all this has to start at the bottom of the ladder.
I've found many unemployed are actually in favour of such a scheme. It's the academic social engineers who don't want it because it'd leave them out in the cold because they'd be of no use to anyone !

individual,

There is merit in what you say; unfortunately, having people dependent on government and charity is all part of the Left's credo. People are much easier to control that way.

Hey O Sung Wu,
Obviously as a part of due diligence we need people like yourself and Paul1405 to advise on any grand schemes before they can be taken seriously.

You're the ones who've been out there boots on the ground with the ability to know right away whether something will or wont be well received.
And people like ALTRAV who are experienced in solving problems;
Finding the flaws in plans before you get half-way through and go:
"Oh geez, I didn't bloody think of that...'

I don't know why the world hasn't figured out a universal best solution for homelessness.

My ideas aren't bad, but needs a more comprehensive plan.

First you'd have to decide a heap of designs for cost effective solutions and get the homeless to sign onto the idea.

So, you'd need a website and a change.org petition.
The website showcases the emergency housing designs and the plan to 'make it happen';
The change.org petition will be used to lobby government and local MPs and drive interest and support.
Go out and mingle the homeless in identifiable shirts; listen to their stories, and for those willing share their stories hashtag #homeless on social media.
Hand out bottles of water and meals (and other basic essentials) and pamphlets of the emergency housing plan to gain awareness and support for it.
Try to get some media coverage, like The Today Show or Current Affair and use Facebook and Instagram to drive a social media campaign.
After you get the homeless to support it get the organisations that assist them to also advocate and lobby government and local MPs.
Make some catchy phrase and logo.

Go with something they can't say no to.

'All we want is the same money that you provide in rent assistance for people with homes spent on us for 'emergency housing' solutions.

- It's not asking for too much, right?

With community support they wont be able to oppose it.

- And that's how you do it, suddenly I feel like a lefty promoting change, Ughh...

Here's the in-between solutions:
http://www.kogan.com/au/buy/komodo-premium-3m-x-3m-pop-gazebo-marquee/
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/263595895036

Last nights QxA put front and center the life of a 62 year old lady on new start
If the could not careless government was watching they may, at least, raise new start for those they know are unlikely to find a job
The over 55 year olds
Or be content with turning even more out on the streets

A major problem with homelessness is that many if not most homeless are so due to drug problems making remedies difficult. For this reason, the number of homeless remains pretty much constant irrespective of whether there is a labor government or liberal.

In fact I recall that after Rudd's call to action on the issue, the number of homeless had actually risen slightly.

Around a hundred and fifty thousand we are told [this morning ABC news] are homeless Shadow Minister, but what comes first homelessness or drugs
And what of the mentally ill who we have spoken about, the alcoholics too
Not sure misdeeds is the major answer we have homelessness

'In fact I recall that after Rudd's call to action on the issue, the number of homeless had actually risen slightly.'

and Bob Hawke's statement that no kid would be in poverty etc etc. Many Indigenous end up homeless after smashing up houses. Answers for socialist are unaceptable because could it might mean change and exposure of their hopelessly failed ideology. They would prefer to virtue signal and cause disruption to people's lives.

Social problems caused by social engineering !

So it is all Labors fault?
I beg to differ if voters wanted a fairer and more caring country Labor would be in power
Not prepared to say they could or would fix this tragedy but they WOULD do better

In the US nearly all cities that have turned into pig styes have been in Democrats hands for a long time.

I beg to differ
Belly,
You'd have disappointed us if you didn't disagree !

So it is all Labors fault?
Belly,
No, not all but the greater portion is. I'll never forgive the LNP for not doing anything about sorting out Centrelink. I just got an email from them asking me for documents & if they don't receive them before the end of this months they might stop the pension. Now, this is after I had already posted the documents last year. looks like I'm the one in trouble because they haven't got their system in order.
I used their website to upload documents & I tell you, it must have been designed by some rather mischievous web designers or perhaps they've been instructed by the Centrelink bureaucrats to make it so user un-friendly.

Governments are not there to solve everyone's problems
Center link is dysfunctional, it seems they are out to harm instead of help
Get in to them yourself, letter to your local member, another to the press one to the opposition
Then offer TV shows that love such stories your story, the squeaky wheel gets the grease

Belly,

Many become homeless because of drug dependence due to the huge cost of maintaining a habit and the difficulty in holding a job. While some develop a dependency after becoming homeless, I believe that it is overwhelmingly the former.

Secondly, with drug dependence as well as many mental health problems, the affected homeless find themselves evicted from housing because of their failure to pay even the most basic rent and/or because of the damage they cause to the housing.

Indy, save the taxpayer, tell em' about your 7.5%, maybe it just run out, they'll understand. There is always the bus shelter down the road, stinking hot in summer, and freezing cold in winter, I wont even mention what its like in the wet season.

Pensioners with computers. I'll be damned! Such largesse!

Once the government embraces my idea of a 'Seniors National Service' all will be honky dory for the old folks. You are going to enjoy sleeping out under the stars in all kinds of weather, after spending a 16 hour day clearing scrub. There will be no need for the Old Aged Pension, it will all be self funded (from the sale of existing pensioner mansions).

My new motto for the old folks is; "Treat em' mean, and keep em' lean."

Paul1405,
As usual, those with no retort resort to ridicule. The classic sign of juvenile ignorance !

Shadow Minister must meet you halfway in what you say there
Yes drugs are a very real problem, I think you will be aware in the 1970,s some very rich very important white Australian business men controlled the importation of drugs
We never really made any impact on stopping them
The lives destroyed while not all working class, mostly are
Drugs must be confronted head on, legalize Marijuana, it is a low impact drug compared to ice
But keep the laws against working driving and such with it in your system, others lives depend on it
Separate however housing for the homeless, it is a separate problem sometimes both exist
Now fairdinkum, even now, as it has been all my life, I would rather work, in any job, than sit around , willing to bet many who are on the streets would too

willing to bet many who are on the streets would too
Belly,
Yes, I have asked around & had that confirmed, so why are you against a National Service that would provide activities & shelter for the unemployed & homeless ?

Individual let me be honest I roll on the floor laughing at youy national service thing
But yes but, include your national service, under another name, in to a true wages true work outcomes work for the dole and I will buy it
First benefit? about 3 to 5 percent will no longer thieve by both working and drawing money set aside for those who need it
Do NOT demand people who are clearly not able to work do so
Make the work of benefit to the community and those who do it, include work training and job seeking as work
Build homes for the homeless, turn up but work too
Yes let some who wish to join the military but force no one to
Let it focus on building communities not destroying them in wars

The sad truth is here for all to see
Homeless victims are being hurt even more by some based on politics not humanity
IF we care more about politics than those in need we might as well stop claiming to be human