Everybody’s Home is a national campaign that was launched in 2018 by a coalition of housing, homelessness and welfare organisations to fix the housing crisis.
As part of the campaign, Everybody’s Home is convening the first People’s Commission into the Australian Housing Crisis (the commission).
The commission is an opportunity for all Australians to talk about the impact of the housing crisis on individuals and organisations.
To drive dialogue, the commission developed a survey designed to better understand people’s experiences of trying to secure suitable and affordable housing.
Neami’s response focused on the housing needs of people living with serious and persistent mental health challenges and psychosocial disability.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, these are the least likely of any people with disability to be in secure employment.
The National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum’s position statement, ‘Psychosocial Disability Associated with Mental Health Conditions‘, also shows they are more likely to experience poverty and financial hardship.
Our submission highlighted:
- stigma and discrimination in the rental market
- how increasing poverty rates affected housing stability and access, physical and mental health, and people’s ability to buy basics like food and medicine, and
- how people on low incomes are less likely to be able to exercise choice and control about where they live or secure accommodation that suits their family needs.
Our submission called for:
- more social and affordable homes in good locations, designed for diverse family types, and demarcating housing for people living with serious and persistent mental ill-health
- Australia to adopt the ‘housing first model’ to address homelessness
- improved income support and rental assistance to ensure all Australians can thrive, not just survive
- funding to expand proven housing and homelessness support models like Sustaining Tenancies in Social Housing and Housing Accommodation and Support Initiative to keep people housed for longer, to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Co-commissioners the Hon Doug Cameron and Professor Nicole Gurran issued a statement following the commission’s hearings.
Visit the Everybody’s Home website to find out more about the campaign and the commission.