Bridge Housing Annual Report 2022 - Flipbook - Page 40
SUPPORTING CUSTOMERS
HELPING PEOPLE FIND
ACCOMMODATION
ENDING
HOMELESSNESS
We assist some of
the most vulnerable
people in our
society to access
services that help
them sustain their
tenancies and reach
their personal goals.
The Pathways team assessed 580
applications for social housing
assistance in 2021-22, an average
of 48 applications per month. This
represents an increase of 5 per cent on
the previous year’s 559 assessments.
Bridge Housing is committed to
assisting the most vulnerable people
to access and sustain social housing.
We have maintained our position as
the lead provider of Housing First
homelessness programs. We further
embedded this commitment in 2021-22
through the implementation of two
dedicated Housing First portfolios with
smaller than normal staff to tenancy
ratios to enable a service response
required for this vulnerable and high
need cohort. The Housing Managers
and other support staff are trained
in the principles of Housing First to
ensure the success of the approach.
The team supported 187 people
experiencing homelessness to access
temporary short-term accommodation
in motels and hotels over the year
which proved to be a critical strategy
to protect vulnerable people from the
COVID-19 pandemic.
We prioritise allocations to our
properties using the Bridge Housing’s
Allocations Policy to ensure current
tenants of Bridge Housing and
applicants from the NSW Housing
Register are provided with suitable
housing, based on their household
needs.
The Pathways team completed 337
allocations, an average of 28 allocations
per month. This represents a decrease
of 9 per cent on the previous year’s
372 allocations. This is attributed
to a reduction in tenant exits and
relocations following the pandemic.
Of the 337 people who were housed
in 2021-22, 222 or 66 per cent were
homeless or at risk of homelessness,
reflecting our business’ focus on
Housing First responses to people who
are sleeping on the streets.
“They go above and beyond
to help you live the best life
you can have.”
Bridge Housing Tenant
In 2021-22, we finalised the external
evaluation of our STEP to Home
program by the Centre for Social
Impact which further demonstrated the
positive impacts of the Housing First
approach for people sleeping rough.
This report led the NSW Government
to announce an extension of this
program in 2022-23 with $6.8M to
house 68 more people. In addition,
funding for wraparound support was
allocated to our service partner NEAMI
National which is critical to the success
of this program.
Bridge Housing continued to
support the NSW Government’s
implementation of the Together Home
program; a rapid housing program to
provide housing and support to people
experiencing homelessness during
the pandemic by maintaining a 94
per cent sustainment rate for tenants
housed within the program. We have
witnessed some very positive social
outcomes working closely with our
service partners St Vincent de Paul, the
Salvation Army and Mission Australia.
Together we have housed the largest
number of people under the program
within the inner-city area.
On the Northern Beaches where we
lead the response to homelessness, we
worked with service partners through
our Case Coordination Committee
to assist 48 people experiencing
homelessness into safe, secure and
affordable accommodation.
36 | Bridge Housing