Homelessness Week 2021

Homelessness Week 2021 will take place from 1 to 7 August and will be officially launched by Homelessness Australia next Monday 2 August at a special webinar with Federal Housing, Homelessness and Community Housing Minister Michael Sukkar.

The coronavirus pandemic highlighted the ongoing challenges of homelessness in Australia, particularly for rough sleepers. Governments across Australia demonstrated an ability to provide accommodation to our most vulnerable citizens. AHURI’s COVID-19 Research Hub examined responses to homelessness during the pandemic both in Australia and overseas.

Homelessness remains a significant focus of AHURI’s ongoing research agenda with a number of projects underway:

Crisis accommodation in Australia: now and for the future

Led by Dr Deb Batterham, Swinburne University

This mixed methods study explores and critically examines the diversity of crisis accommodation service models and practices occurring nationally and internationally. It will identify the key elements of effective and appropriate crisis accommodation models and articulate how they fit within the evolving landscape of homelessness services and responses.

Estimating the population at risk of homelessness in small areas

Led by Associate Professor Christian Nygaard at Swinburne University

This research aims to produce small area estimates of the ‘at risk of homelessness’ population in Australia in order to assist policy makers and stakeholders at local and regional levels in developing homelessness prevention strategies. It combines HILDA and Census 2016 data to produce a new, user customisable data set.

Homelessness policy and systems for people with disabilities

Led by Dr Mary-Ann O’Donovan, University of Sydney

Acknowledging the high risk of homelessness for people with intellectual disability, this scoping project will investigate the extent to which the homelessness system and policies in Australia respond to the specific housing needs of people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism, and the intersectoral linkage between the homelessness and disability sectors.

How many in a crowd? Assessing overcrowding measures in Australian housing

Led by Dr Michael Dockery, Curtin University

This research aims to produce small area estimates of the ‘at risk of homelessness’ population in Australia in order to assist policy makers and stakeholders at local and regional levels in developing homelessness prevention strategies. It combines HILDA and Census 2016 data to produce a new, user customisable data set.

Urban Indigenous homelessness: much more than housing

Led by Associate Professor Deirdre Tedmanson, University of South Australia

This project reviews policy, practice and service delivery in relation to Indigenous homelessness in urban settings in Australia and Canada. Revisiting sites in Australia used in earlier research, the project examines questions of sustainability and culturally safe and appropriate services.

View the full catalogue at our Research in progress page.