Homeless Law: Introduction Lucy Adams, Manager & Principal Lawyer Melbourne Office PO Box 16013 Melbourne VIC Tel +61 3 8636 4400 Fax +61 3 8636 4455 justiceconnect.org.au/homelesslaw
To Toda day y 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 elessness in Victoria toria • 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 eless Law • Specialist legal service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness • Eight member law firms and seven weekly outreac reach clinics – located at services that are accessible to our clients, including homeless services and health services • We assist with some civi vil legal gal issues sues, not criminal, family or immigration • Our two main areas of practice are eviction ction preventi ention and infr fringements ngements for r publi blic space ace offences ences • Other legal issues we assist with include credit and debt matters and guardianship and administration orders • Integr egrat ated ed 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 al stories s of homeless ssne ness ss and fines 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, orm, policy icy and projects jects • 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 5 strateg ategic ic policy icy projects jects • 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 10
Homeless eless Law team m and resources ources • 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.au 11 11
Direct insights about homelessness
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