The Foyer Foundation welcomes the government’s focus on youth housing in this year’s Federal Budget, with measures aimed at increasing the supply of safe and affordable housing and additional funding for homelessness services.
Across Australia, there are up to 40,000 young Australians without a place to call home. Young people experience the highest rates of homelessness among all age groups in Australia.
The additional 10 per cent increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) will provide much-needed relief to young people on low incomes, but more is needed to ensure that those on Youth Allowance can afford to keep a roof over their heads.
Expanding the role of the National Housing Infrastructure Facility (NHIF) and injecting an additional $1 billion will enable community housing providers to construct new social and affordable housing stock, including supported youth accommodation facilities such as Youth Foyers.
“Of the $1 billion grant funding under the NHIF, the Foyer Foundation and its partners are seeking $184 million to build 10 new Youth Foyers immediately so that we can start to address youth homelessness and disadvantage,” says Foyer Foundation CEO Liz Cameron-Smith.
“We have 33 communities wanting to build a Foyer in response to the urgent needs of young people, with 16 shovel-ready sites and a pipeline of more than 17 projects that will be ready for investment over the next five years.”
“We need to invest in more medium and long-term housing solutions for young people to transition to independent futures and break cycles of homelessness and disadvantage,” Cameron-Smith said.
Access to decent, secure and affordable housing is essential to Australia’s future wellbeing and productivity. The Foyer Foundation and its partner organisations are ready to deliver housing and support services for young people aged 16-24 across Australia.
The Foyer Foundation is a national for-purpose organisation that unlocks thriving futures for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness by offering a safe and stable place to live for up to two years with integrated housing, education, employment and life skills support.
The Foyer Foundation works with a national consortium of community housing providers, education and employment services, philanthropists, and impact investors seeking to grow the reach and impact of Youth Foyers.
Each Youth Foyer provides accommodation for approximately 40 young people aged 16 to 24 in self-contained units with education, employment and training opportunities and other holistic supports to help them get their lives back on track.
