Publications

Homelessness is a rapidly growing problem in Victoria. Between the 2006 and 2016 Census the number of people experiencing homelessness in Victoria increased from a rate of 35.3 per 10,000 population to 41.9 per 10,000 population. A desperate shortage of affordable housing and skyrocketing rents are driving more and more people, from diverse backgrounds, out of their homes and into homelessness.

Belying the old stereotypes of homeless people being “rough sleepers: with complex needs, the fastest growing cohorts of people becoming homeless are women and older people. For many homeless means couch sur ng, living in severe overcrowding,
and temporarily in rooming houses and emergency accommodation.

This report examines the cohort of older people, over 55 years old, who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless. During the same period between 2006 and 2016, older persons homelessness grew by 58 per cent. Drawing on Census, as well as Specialist Homelessness Services data from across the state, this report examines the makeup of this growing and often hidden demographic of homeless people.

Read the full report

Our clients who live in retirement housing options and receive their energy via an embedded network report concerns with exempt sellers over-charging them for their usage. Our clients often experience a digital divide in accessing adequate information, and commonly express a fear of speaking out and asserting their rights due to fear of negative consequences from management.

This feedback was provided to the Essential Service Commission’s (ESC) Maximum prices for embedded networks and other exempt sellers Draft Decision.

Read the feedback here

Throughout 2019-2020 we surveyed and interviewed 228 older LGBTI people aged between 50 and 80 years of age about their housing and the information they provided forms the basis of this submission. We found that more older LGBTI people have experienced homelessness than their non-LGBTI counterparts, and that older LGBTI people are in circumstances that place them at risk of homelessness.

Read the submission here

This submission was prepared in partnership with Val’s LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care, Switchboard Victoria, and Transgender Victoria.

Training video for service providers about Housing for the Aged Action Groups services - includes recent data on the prevalence of homelessness for older people, what to look out for and when to refer to our Home at Last service.

Early intervention to prevent homelessness for older people from Housing Aged on Vimeo.

Older people are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.  They need safe and affordable housing so they can practice physical distancing, quarantine and self-isolation as required. 

Read our latest brief here

The patterns and circumstances of low income older non- homeowners identified in this report indicate that Queensland is no exception to the national trends on homelessness and the risk of homelessness for the older population. Overall homelessness in Queensland is rising and the older age groups are increasingly contributing to this growth. Unlike in other states where older people affected by homelessness and marginally housed are concentrated in the metropolitan capital, in Queensland greater numbers are found in regional Queensland.

Read the full report

The results are in! How are older LGBTI people in Victoria housed, and what do they think about it?

View the infographic

The Aged Care system should be respectful of rights, choice and dignity, but there should also be recognition that for many people who are experiencing homelessness, or living in unsuitable or unaffordable housing, there is no real “choice” in aged care, and the focus instead should be accessing the system.
HAAG strongly support any reforms that lead to a system which is easy to navigate and understand, supportive of the wishes of the older person, and well connected with other services.

Read the submission here

Older renters are a key demographic when it comes to rental reform. People over 55 make up the fastest growing segment of the private rental market, a major and growing proportion of social housing tenants, and a key cohort for caravan and residential parks. The government has recognised the needs of older renters as a key concern of the RTA review from the Laying the Groundwork paper onwards. Existing transitional provisions specify certain rental reforms – such as minimum standards – that will only apply to new fixed term or periodic agreements entered into after July 2020. We are concerned this will tend to disproportionately disadvantage older renters.

Read our submission here