Homelessness can be caused by:
A shortage of affordable housing. Physical and/or mental health issues. Unemployment or job loss. Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction.
People with low income are less likely to find suitable and affordable housing, and more likely to experience homelessness. Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children.
There are no internationally agreed upon definitions of homelessness, making it difficult to compare levels of homelessness across countries. A majority of people experiencing homelessness long-term in Australia are found in the large cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
“The severe shortage of social and affordable housing, a private rental market that is extremely unaffordable across metro and regional Australia and soaring cost of living are accelerating Australia's housing and homelessness crisis,” Callister said.
Causes of homelessness
Domestic violence is the single biggest cause of homelessness in Australia.
Thirty-two per cent of Australia's homeless population lives in NSW. Other states and territories account for 21 per cent (Victoria), 19 per cent (Queensland), 12 per cent (the Northern Territory), 8 per cent (Western Australia), 5 per cent (South Australia) and 1 per cent each in the ACT and Tasmania.
Older women are the fastest growing group to experience homelessness in Australia. The 2016 Census reported that the number of women over 55 experiencing homelessness increased by 31% to 6,866 compared to 2011.
The Community Services Directorate oversees homelessness policy; housing assistance policy; housing sector regulation; public housing asset management; public housing growth and renewal program; and social and affordable housing delivery through Housing ACT.
Homelessness can be solved through providing more safe and affordable housing, ensuring people's incomes allow them to afford housing and other essentials, and providing support where needed for people to get into and sustain a home.
Almost one third of people experience homelessness as a family. People who are Black or African American and those who are American Indian or Alaska Native have higher rates of homelessness.
122,494 people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness at the time of the 2021 Census, an increase of 6,067 people (5.2%) since 2016.
Every night, more than 122,000 people in Australia experience homelessness1—although the most visible experience of homelessness involves sleeping rough on the streets, this type of homelessness only represents 6% of the homeless population.
The most common Homelessness definition identifies three types of homelessness: primary, secondary and tertiary.
These include mental illness and substance abuse; marital breakdown and a history of abusive relationships; transitions out of institutionalized care; poverty and housing affordability problems; reduced availability of social assistance and social housing; and broader economic conditions.
California, New York and Florida have the largest homeless populations. Across the three heavily populated states, more than 270,000 people are homeless — nearly half of the U.S. homeless population. North Dakota, Wyoming and Mississippi have the smallest homeless populations.
Domestic and family violence is a major cause of homelessness. Without access to emergency accommodation or support networks, vulnerable parents and their children often have nowhere else to go in times of crisis. When Amy and her three children fled their abusive home, the family moved into a cheap rental property.
Other reasons why youth homelessness can occur include: Difficult family situations such as parental drug and alcohol abuse, abuse, neglect. Leaving a parental home without stable employment. Leaving state care without an appropriate plan in place.
Australian policy interest in homelessness started in the early 1970s with the passage of the Homeless Persons Assistance Act (1974).
Eligible recipients who have difficulty managing their finances to the end of a fortnight may include those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, with mental health issues, or gambling and/or substance addictions. Some victims of domestic violence may also be offered weekly payments.
1 in 8 were children and youth aged 10–17 (12% or 34,300 clients) the largest age group of adult clients were aged 25–34 (18% of all clients or 51,900 clients) about 13,300 were women aged 55 or older (8% of total female clients) and 10,600 were men aged 55 or older (9.5% of total male clients)
Is being homeless a crime? First, being homeless is not a criminal offence anywhere in Australia. If such a law were passed it would breach multiple long-standing legal principles. It would also breach various domestic and international charters and covenants on citizenship as well as human and civil rights.