Addressing homelessness requires compassion, understanding, and collective action. At Central Coast Council, we’re committed to supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. From providing emergency accommodation to connecting people with essential services, we’re here to help.
As part of this commitment, we created a Homelessness Strategy, which helps outlines how Central Coast Council will achieve its vision of ‘Everybody in Central Coast, every day, can access a safe, comfortable sleep, a hot shower, and a nutritious meal’.
2023 - 2026 Homelessness Strategy
What causes homelessness?
The causes of homelessness are complex. Homelessness can be caused by:
- Unemployment
- Poverty
- A shortage of affordable housing
- Family breakdown
- Mental illness
- Domestic violence
- Addiction
- Other social factors.
Are there really homeless people in Central Coast?
According to Homelessness Australia only around 6% of people experiencing homelessness sleep rough. For most people experiencing homelessness, it comes in different forms:
- Living in boarding houses
- Staying temporarily with other households
- Staying in supported accommodation
- Living in improvised dwellings
- Living in severely crowded dwellings
- Staying in other temporary lodging.
According to the Australian Bureau of Census (ABS) data, approximately 70 people in Central Coast were experiencing homelessness on census night. However, the true number is likely higher than this.
| Improvised dwellings, tents, or sleeping out | Supported accommodation | Staying temporarily with other households | Living in boarding houses | Other temporary lodgings | Severely crowded dwellings |
| 8 | 20 | 25 | 3 | 5 | 13 |
This doesn’t include a further 58 people who were living in other crowded dwellings or are marginally housed in caravan parks.
What is the Council’s role in addressing homelessness?
At the Central Coast Council, we believe that we have a moral obligation to show compassion to those who are experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, and to support the efforts of the agencies, service providers and community groups who work in homelessness relief. We must confront and understand the complex causes and impacts, so that we can factor them into our everyday decision making.
What services are available for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness?
| Resource | What it does | Details |
| Housing Connect | A one-stop-shop for all of your housing and support needs. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. | Telephone 1800 800 588 |
| FindHelpTas | A website that provides details for local support services. | www.findhelptas.org.au |
| Assistance Tas | A short online form for requesting emergency assistance. | www.assistancetas.com.au |
| Warrawee Women’s Shelter | Short-term emergency accommodation for women and children. | Telephone 6425 1382 |
| The Salvation Army (Ulverstone) | Financial and material aid, casework and referrals. | Telephone 6425 8800 |
What can the community do to help?
There are some really simple steps you can follow to support people in our community who are experiencing homelessness:
- Seek to better understand the issue and raise awareness of the problem
- Donate to frontline services that work in this space, e.g. community op-shops, the Salvation Army, City Mission, etc.
- Donate non-perishable items to the Little Free Pantry, located in Alexandra Road, Ulverstone
- Support community housing in your neighbourhood
- Volunteer with a frontline organisation that works in this space.
If you have any immediate concerns about safety or illegal activity, please call Tasmania Police. Call 000 immediately if you see someone who:
- Seems distressed
- Appears to be a danger to themselves or others
- Is damaging property, or the environment.
The Council’s officers have no authority to act on issues that are police matters.
The Council’s response to homelessness is managed by our Community Services team. For more information, contact the Community Services Administrative Assistant by phone on 6429 8910, or email admin@centralcoast.tas.gov.au