Melbourne OfficePO Box 16013

Melbourne VIC

Tel +61 3 8636 4400

Fax +61 3 8636 4455

justiceconnect.org.au/homelesslaw

Homeless Law: Introduction Lucy Adams, Manager & Principal Lawyer

Today

1.The context – homelessness in Victoria

2.Homeless Law – our services

3.Changing laws, policies and practices

4.The team, social media and PIMS

5.Consumer insights and perspectives

2

Homelessness in Victoria

• There are over 22,000 people who are homeless in Victoria

• Homeless Victorians are staying in refuges, temporary accommodation or rooming houses, sleeping in cars or couch surfing and sleeping rough

• Nearly 45% of homeless Victorians are women

• Domestic and family violence is now the single biggest cause of homelessness in Victoria. The acute shortage of affordable housing is another major cause

• Almost half of homeless Victorians are under 25 and one-sixth are kids under 12

• There are 35,000 people on the waiting list for public housing in Victoria

3

Jody

Facing eviction into homelessness

Homeless Law

• Specialist legal service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

• Eight member law firms and seven weekly outreach clinics – located at services

that are accessible to our clients, including homeless services and health

services

• We assist with some civil legal issues, not criminal, family or immigration

• Our two main areas of practice are eviction prevention and infringements for

public space offences

• Other legal issues we assist with include credit and debt matters and

guardianship and administration orders

• Integrated practice – two social workers on our team

5

Eviction prevention

129 clients and their families in 2013–14

Public space offences

109 clients in FY 2013–14

In the Public Eye – personal

stories of homelessness and

fines

• Launched by the Victorian Attorney-General in 2013

• 3000 views

• Aims to raise awareness of the impact of fines on people experiencing homelessness

8

Law reform, policy and projects

• Evidence-based – informed by our casework

• Two key priorities:

–Preventing evictions into homelessness

–Reducing the negative impact of the fines system on

people experiencing homelessness

• Strategies include written submissions, relationships with government, use of the media and strategic litigation

• Major fines reform, Women’s Homelessness Prevention Project, debt and tenancy help for prisoners, begging evaluation

9

2015 strategic policy projects

• Royal Commission into Family Violence

–WHPP – legal representation and social work support

–55 women assisted with 83 kids in their care

–90% have experienced family violence

–75% are facing eviction for arrears

–Six months in: 83% had been able to sustain safe and

secure housing

• Eight year review of Victoria’s Human Rights Charter Burgess & Anor v Director of Housing & Anor [2014] VSC 648

10

Homeless Law team and resources

• Esther Grant / Sally Kenyon, Legal Administrator

• Patrick Warner, Lawyer

• Katie Ho, Lawyer

• Anna Lyons, Senior Lawyer

• Lucy Adams, Manager and Principal Lawyer

• Sarah Roberts, Homeless Persons’ Liaison Officer

• Antoinette Russo, Liaison Officer, Women’s Homelessness Prevention Project

• Homeless Law in Practice http://www.hlp.org.au/

• Facebook www.facebook.com/homelesslaw

• Twitter www.twitter.com/homelesslaw

• PIMS https://pims.justiceconnect.org.au11

Direct insights about homelessness