Victoria invests $27.8m to end rough sleeping with street teams
The state is funding assertive outreach teams across Victoria to proactively find rough sleepers and connect them with housing.
Victoria is expanding a homelessness program with $27.8 million in new funding. Teams of support workers will move onto streets across the state.
They will find rough sleepers and connect them with housing. The approach, called assertive outreach, has been tried in inner Melbourne since 2018.
It has housed 850 people. Workers engage individuals on the street rather than waiting for people to seek help.
They build trust and develop a profile for every rough sleeper. The state is also building new housing.
The Big Housing Build pipeline will create 11,000 social properties. St Kilda's Madden House opened in 2025 with 26 units for rough sleepers with complex needs.
Rough sleeping in that area has nearly halved.
- $27.8 million
- Statewide funding
- 850
- People housed in inner Melbourne
- 26
- Madden House units
- 11,000
- Social properties planned
Why it mattersA proven model could dramatically reduce rough sleeping if paired with sufficient social housing construction.
AustraliaVictoria's investment could provide a template for other Australian states struggling with rising homelessness.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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