ISSR Group Leader Dr Cameron Parsell joined the Victorian CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, Danni Addison, and host Jeremy Fernandez on ABC's Lateline to discuss the concept of Housing First and finding permanent solutions to homelessness.
Dr Parsell dismissed the idea of waiting until people are “housing ready” before providing them with permanent supportive housing. He stated that the evidence shows that people are more likely to sustain housing if they are provided with permanent accommodation without conditions, as once tenants are in secure housing they are in a better place to be able to make positive decisions about accessing the services they need.
While Dr Parsell affirms that providing people with permanent supportive housing is a moral imperative for society, he also has evidence to prove it makes economic sense. His findings show that homeless people access a greater amount and magnitude of acute services through the criminal justice and health systems while homeless, as opposed to when they are in long-term supportive housing.
Watch the full Lateline interview for more details.
Read more about the cost savings of supportive housing found in the Brisbane Common Ground Evaluation.
