Gated Carparks for the Homeless - by the Seaford Housing Action Coalition

Progress Report
GATED CAR PARKS
Seaford Housing Action Coalition
20th July 2016

At this stage it is suggested that more evidence of numbers of people sleeping in cars locally be obtained before any decision is made regarding a Gated Car Park. We also need more feedback from people sleeping rough as to their needs and preferences.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that ‘safety’ is the first concern of people sleeping rough, particularly women.

Programs have recently been commenced in Melbourne and around Australia to provide mobile services to homeless. These services not only provide food and companionship (eg the ‘soup vans’ which have operated in different localities for decades) but also clothes washing and drying, and showering.

A Gated Car Park’s ability to provide safety would distinguish it from these other services for people sleeping rough. The extent of security required – whether ‘safety in numbers’, a fence and gate, or professional security guard – would have significant implications on the number of sites potentially available, and on operating costs.

A Gated Car Park would only provide security to those who have cars; others who are sleeping rough would not benefit. Appropriate crisis accommodation (eg a custom facility, or even a motel room, or caravan park cabin) for people at risk of homelessness is disturbingly inadequate; in addition some of the very few ‘shelters’ available apparently have a poor reputation amongst many homeless.

A permanent Gated Car Park that was also open on weekdays would provide an excellent point of contact between homeless people and health, welfare and housing professionals. Funding might even be available from such services.

Another service that would provide security at night is the ‘SleepBus’, currently being trialled in Melbourne. In addition to providing safety, this would be the only (mobile) service to homeless that provides a warm, comfortable, and safe sleep.

It is recommended that we continue investigations into the potential demand for a gated car park in the Frankston area, and into different models of operation. And that we also continue investigations into alternative means of assisting those sleeping rough.

BACKGROUND

The potential need for a secure car park in the area arose as an issue some two years go after a SHAC member who had visited CityLife in Frankston for some 12 months reported that of four men (including a couple) he had met who were sleeping in their cars all but one had been assaulted. It was felt that a secure night-time (only) car park might provide them with safety and dignity, especially if toilet and basic kitchen facilities could be provided.

Soon afterwards came the news of a young homeless couple killed while sleeping in their car, which had been parked on a lonely track on the outskirts of Ballarat. The cause was thought to be a butane gas heater they were using to keep warm on a cold winter night. In Ballarat particularly it provoked soul-searching about the ‘forgotten people’ and increasingly unaffordable housing.[1]

Gated Car Parks appear to have originated in California. Around 2008, as foreclosures hit, those who had always struggled with homelessness were joined by senior citizens, women, and formerly middle class people with part-time jobs. By May 2008 a homeless outreach organisation in affluent Santa Barbara had a chain of 12 overnight car park refuges (including one ‘women-only’) on church and other not-for-profit properties.[2]

As the Global Financial Crisis impacted more widely the model appears to have spread across the USA, with many ‘working poor’ families forced into temporary accommodation such as private motel rooms, and the overnight ‘gated car parks’ set up by community groups. This was revealed to Australia in the Four Corners program ‘America’s Broken Dreams’ in February 2013. Around the same time, web searches revealed Gated Car Parks in the UK and India. Recently however many US Walmart stores have reversed ‘overnight parking’ permissions (apparently used principally by ‘Recreational Vehicle’ travellers) due to security issues that have arisen.

We know of and have been in contact with just one Gated Car Park in Australia, at Lake Macquarie, NSW.[3] Called ‘Our Backyard’, it is said to be an Australian first. It was initiated by local charities, Eastlake Women’s Refuge, and Path to Change, in early 2014. It is situated in the grounds of The Macquarie Life Church, which also pays to rent the demountable buildings for its kitchen, bathroom, office etc. Being a permanent facility, patrons are not required to move on during the day. In addition to offering a ‘safe haven’ (through numbers, rather than fences and gates), the facility also provides ‘a hub’, with access to a full-time caseworker (funded through the community welfare groups which auspiced the project). A staff member case-manages residents, helping with applications for jobs, housing etc. Local charities and community groups (churches, Rotary Club etc) help with cleaning, maintenance, food and companionship. The co-ordinator says it is working very well.

‘Our Backyard’, say its proponents, is a response to the changing face of homelessness:

“These aren’t the traditionally homeless people – they’re people who’ve not been able to pay their rent because they’ve lost their job, but they’ve still got their car.

Its that pocket of people in the community that really aren’t recognised as homeless, because they’ve still got some resources about them.”[4]

NOTES

[1] The Age, 26th July 2014, ‘Young homeless couple in Ballarat found dead in car from heater’; The Courier, 26th July 2014, ‘Residents shocked after homeless couple, dog, found dead in car near Ballarat’. This incident may have contributed to the organisation by the Ballarat Interfaith Network of a well-attended forum on homelessness in the city in August 2015.
[2] CNN, 20/5/2008: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/19/homeless.mom/; also Daily Telegraph (UK), 21/5/2008: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/2003921/House-prices- force-Americans-to-sleep-in-cars.html
[3] ‘Our Backyard’, Notes to SHAC, MaryAnne Hickmott; Note that an article in Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate, 23/7/2013, ‘Homeless told to leave the Central Coast if they want affordable public housing’, suggests that there were by then a number of gated car parks in NSW.
[4] ABC News, 6/3/2015 ‘New approach to homelessness offers safe haven for ‘car sleepers’: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-06/new-approach-to-homelessness/6284836.

STORIES OF PEOPLE SLEEPING ROUGH, AND IN CARS

In 2012-13 it was evident that there were quite a few men ‘sleeping rough’ on the Seaford foreshore, on Kananook Creek, and other bushland around Seaford.

We also observed homeless people sleeping in secluded and sheltered places such as the foreshore bushland, under bathing boxes, Kananook Creek and other bushland, and football ground coaching boxes, races and grandstands.[5]

Many of the people we have spoken with reported having been assaulted and robbed. Similarly many people sleeping in cars have been attacked at night.

However despite these risks it is common for people to prefer to sleep in cars, which some feel are safer than Rooming Houses, or Homeless Shelters.

A number of those who sleep in cars do so because of pets, which make finding private rental accommodation very difficult.

The following reports and writings are of local realities. (None of the names used here are the real names of the people involved.)

• SHAC member Kevin Vaughan wrote of several recent (2015) encounters with people he had met at CityLife:

• “I met Jim and his wife Emma 18 months ago at CityLife church in Frankston, at the time they were living in their car. I met them in Frankston on Friday, and had a yarn. They now rent a 3 bedroom house in Frankston; Jim had his right hand bandaged as he had broken a bone in his hand as a result of a fight a couple of days ago. He is suffering from depression and anxiety. He said he had no reason for living and showed me his right arm where there are marks where he had cut himself trying to commit suicide.

Emma left him 4 weeks ago and had returned yesterday. She came by as we talked, does not look well at all.

I suggested Jim might get work in a restaurant in Red Hill; he said he could not cope with any work right now because of his anxiety.”

• “I met Bill last evening [a friend who had been living in his car]. I asked him how long he had been living in his car, he said about 2 years. I then asked him what he did between 6 and 10 pm of an evening, where did he go. He said he spent a lot of time at McDonalds, sitting, reading and thinking. He would go to sleep in the car park at the Frankston hospital. He also said quite a number of people who go to breakfast at Citylife spend time in McDonalds in Frankston of an evening. I asked him where he washed himself; he said there are showers somewhere in Mt Eliza and in a couple of other places on the Peninsula.

Ian now has a small unit in Oakleigh and is doing fairly well.”

[5\ In May 2012 the Frankston Leader ran a number of prominent and well-received stories on Mykal, one of the homeless men living in the Frankston bush. He continues to occasionally appear in articles.

• St Vincent de Paul Society. In an attempt to raise awareness of homelessness on the Mornington Peninsula, in 2008 local Vinnies volunteers wrote sketches of some of the people they were assisting. 6 Several examples featured people living in cars:

‘Case 8’

“A blended family group of four adults and five children were living on the beach. Their only accommodation consisted of two cars.

Conference assisted the group with food and other essentials such as towels, bedding, utensils etc. No emergency housing could be found, but eventually a second-hand caravan was provided. This was an improvement, but by no means adequate. During the summer months any possible accommodation is usually rented out to holiday makers.

The search for emergency housing continued unsuccessfully. Finally the families were force to leave the foreshore in April, and moved from the area.”

‘Case 15’

“Bruce lives in his ute which he parks on various foreshores each night, and says he doesn’t get asked to move on by the authorities. He would often pop into the Main Street St V.de P. shop (before it was burnt down), have a cuppa with staff, and we would get a call to see him.

Always polite and extremely grateful, Bruce would tell us about his kids in Queensland, whom he never sees, and all the money he has sent over the years to his ex which has left him broke and owing thousands to Centrelink for ‘false claims’, which he has tried to dispute in court.

He needs to keep his car on the road and change locations each night for fear of being banned from the foreshore parking areas. He has had to pay for constant roadworthies, gas for his cooking, wet weather gear etc, and of course, petrol.

It is an itinerant, hand to mouth, existence. Last word is he now has a site at an eastern suburb caravan park, which may have given him some sense of belonging somewhere.”

• St Vincent de Paul report of two people sleeping rough (May 2016):

The first was a lady who tried to sleep at night while hiding under beach bathing boxes.

“The second person was a male who for sometime sleeps in a car park in Frankston. He would drink a lot of alcohol to blot out his fear of sleeping rough and the drink would keep him warm. His needs were the same as the lady, hot shower, change of clothes or to wash them, mobile phone & phone card, access to charger. People sleeping in cars are a little better off, they have mobile shelter and can move off if an issue arises.”

• Southern Peninsula Community Support and Information Centre

[6] St Vincent de Paul, ‘Peninsula Homelessness’, 12/7/2008, pp.1-7. Real names were not used in this report.

• The introductory video on its website includes an interview with an unidentified man who relates that:

“After a family breakup I found myself homeless. I was living in my car, and from that time it was a challenge to be housed somewhere long-term. Its not what you expect. People spend their lives in these situations because they feel there’s nothing left.”

• ‘Monica’, in her late 40s, attended the second day of the SPCSIC’s new ‘Spash’ program of mobile services on Rosebud foreshore. She presently sleeps on the foreshore camping ground in a Winnebago (RV). She has tertiary qualifications, but can’t function during her bouts of depression. She spoke strongly about homeless women being ‘invisible’ because they so often feel unsafe; for example, unless driven to it by hunger they preferred to avoid homeless services such as free meal services that were attended mainly by men, especially if offensive language and threatening behaviour was not properly enforced by the organisers. She says that homeless women have a good idea of the situation of other women: women sleeping in cars don’t go to public car parks or foreshore reserves, but go instead to ordinary suburban streets, where they sink down into the seat and hope that they won’t be noticed. In poorer suburbs people seem to be more concerned about who is parked in front of their houses, so she had preferred richer suburbs during the period she had been sleeping in an ordinary vehicle. As well as choosing an inconspicuous street, she said women chose a parking spot that would allow them to drive off (escape) quickly. Bedtime and waking are early; they drive off before the neighbourhood wakes and notices them.

She raised the potential issue in a Gated Car Park of safety for women from the men who might also be staying there. She spoke about being hungry, and how anyone can end up homeless. She remembered with emotion how she had been bashed many years ago. ‘Safety’, she said, even more than food, is the most important consideration when you are homeless.

• The Salvation Army (Appeal brochure, July 2016)

Includes a story of ‘Jodie’, who “spent three months living homeless in a tent and car”:

“I never thought homelessness would be my story. It all happened so quickly. My body started playing up, and it got worse. My balance is really bad. The pain is excruciating. I was working full-time in two cleaning jobs, but I had to stop. I had no choice. That’s how I lost my house.

I’ve worked hard all my life. And this is where I ended up. I was homeless for three months. I’ll never forget the first night on the streets, because it poured down with rain and I didn’t know how to set up my swag. It was very cold sleeping rough.”

It is evident that sleeping in a car, and sleeping rough, is a testing, fragile undignified and sometimes unsafe lifestyle. It is always insecure and with the constant threat of being ‘moved on’. It is easy to envisage how, as the 2008 Mornington Peninsula St Vincent de Paul survey says, homelessness:

• ‘robs some of our children of a happy childhood and the ability to learn and achieve’; and

• ‘leaves some of our adults without purpose, and sorrowful lives.’

SHAC’S INITIAL INVESTIGATIONS

SHAC’s idea of a Gated Car Park was discussed at the Frankston Emergency Relief Providers (FERP) meeting of June 2015. The consensus was that there were many sleeping in cars, and that this was definitely worthy of further research. The Royal District Nursing Services representative offered to assist with any proposal.

We identified some 14 potential Gated Car Park sites, mainly local churches and not-for- profit depots and stores, in the Seaford area. Some were already fenced, and some had basic facilities. In July 2015 we wrote to the owners inviting them to a discussion about the idea of a Gated Car Park. [7] Disappointingly there was only one response, advising inability to assist. Personal follow-up approaches might have been more successful.

During the course of the present inquiry, two additional potential sites (churches) with gates and toilets, were identified in Chelsea. Frankston or Carrum (bigger) Police Station carparks were also suggested.

In February 2016 we decided to systematically investigate, in turn, all the issues on our agenda, starting with Gated Car Parks. A list of questions was drawn up under the headings: ‘The Need’, ‘Other Examples’, ‘Necessary Facilities’, ‘Management’, ‘Potential Supporters’, ‘Potential Sites’, and ‘Local Government’.

This report provides the results of our research into the first and most fundamental of these questions: ‘Is there a need?’

As well as anecdotes and stories of the people involved, we have sought to estimate the number of people sleeping in their cars in the Seaford-Frankston area.

We are not aware of previous investigations into people sleeping in cars by community groups, or government or not-for-profit welfare services. The information below was obtained from conversations with local groups. These included the local hospital, police, caravan parks, and housing and welfare agencies. Contacts were made with groups including Launch Housing, Peninsula Youth & Family Services / SalvoCare, St Vincent de Paul Society, Centacare, Mental Health Support Group, Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS), Frankston Emergency Relief Providers, WAYS, Department of Health & Human Services, and Frankston Council.

Various people also attended SHAC discussions of the issue. These included Pastor Bill Nagi, well known in Frankston North for his grass-roots work with poor and marginalised people over many years, and Nycey Stanley, a worker at CityLife. Peter Chappaloni (Spike) of the Homeless Persons Union had been keen to come to meet a community group interested in homelessness, but was a late apology.

Kevin Bain of the Mornington Peninsula Human Rights Group also attended a SHAC meeting and objected that the Gated Car Parks idea was not a long-term solution, would undermine ‘integration’, and diminish pressure for governments and politicians to address homelessness. He also inquired whether there was expert welfare sector support for the proposal. Opposing views were put, including: people are in immediate need, and at risk; public housing is not available; the proposal is envisaged as a ‘stepping stone’; and some preferred to live on the street despite its problems, including some parents who do not want to notify authorities of their plight for fear of losing children.

It was acknowledged that strong connections would need to be established with community agencies, and that Gated Car Parks are unlikely to be easy to get going. Potential issues will

[7] Kevin Vaughan, ‘Gated Car Parks: A Proposal’, SHAC, nd.

include: obtaining support from local government, the community and the welfare sector; insurance for property owners; and everyday people management and security issues. It was also recognised that there are alternative options, including political advocacy and community education regarding the need for emergency and social housing, and services to the homeless. There are also other types of direct ‘service’ provision that SHAC might engage in with others, including mobile services (showers, laundry, food etc), local food pantries, or promotion of ‘small housing’ (as at cabin parks).

FINDINGS (Results of SHAC’s Inquiries into potential need for Gate Car Park)

We have found that, just as no services are provided for people sleeping in their cars, no statistics are kept either. It seems to be either a case of moving them on, or them presenting to existing government and community agencies that address the health, work and accommodation needs of people.

Feedback was received from the following services.

Councils, and Municipal Homeless Services

• Contacts were made with Frankston and Kingston Councils. Generally the need for emergency and permanent low-cost accommodation in the municipalities was recognised, and statistics cited. However, no specific statistics or information relating to people sleeping rough or in cars was available.

• Existing services that helped the homeless included:- Community Support Frankston (which issues sleeping swags and food vouchers); Salvo Care Eastern (which is the first port of call for emergency housing); and the local RDNS which runs a program specifically to tend to the health issues of the homeless.

• A SHAC member was also invited to a meeting of the Dandenong Rooming House Networks, which comprises service providers together with other community groups, and the Council. There are considerable problems with Rooming House accommodation.

Frankston Police. [8]

• Estimate that the number of homeless people encountered per week on night shift ranges from 5-15, with the great majority of these sleeping in cars. Sleeping in cars a far worse problem in Frankston than Moorabbin. However it doesn’t appear to have become worse over the past 6 years.

• Very difficult to know how many are assaulted or robbed as these rarely reported to police. Older heroin addicts are particularly vulnerable.

• “By far the majority” have drug or alcohol dependencies and have fallen out with their families. Many have criminal records, perhaps unregistered cars. A few have mental health issues. Some have pets. Very few are backpackers, travellers etc sleeping in vans or recreational vehicles.

[8] Interview, David Moloney and Senior Constable Kolivas, 13/4/2016. (It was reported that the Dandenong police also generally concurred with the information contained in the report of this interview.)

• In his experience it is very much a temporary issue for people; it’s rare to see the same face twice. They might move on to couch surfing, or find better accommodation.

• Very few domestic violence victims sleep in cars; if these contact police, they are referred to a crisis agency (eg womens shelter, Salvos) for immediate accommodation. 9 This is only for a few nights, but police usually remove the perpetrator from the family home and restore the victims there.

• Locations in which people sleep in cars:

o Secluded unlit areas off main roads, with toilets (& showers if possible), are preferred.

o So beach car parks are popular: from the bottom of Olivers Hill northwards up Nepean Highway.

o Frankston North and Seaford the focus of the problem. Popular places include:

 Car park at entrance to Pines Forest Reserve at south end of Excelsior Drive

 Car park in Forest Drive / Monterey Boulevard reserve, with toilet

 The Seaford North Reserve (Railway Parade, near station), with toilet.

• Sleeping in cars is not a crime. But it usually contravenes Council by-laws, and Council sometimes ring police during the day to ask them to move people on if they think nuisance or trouble might brew.

• If a Gated Car Park was to be established, he wouldn’t recommend one in a residential area given the incidence of crime associated with many of the people.

Carrum Downs Police

• The Police deal with the occasional homeless person but not on every shift. These are people who are sleeping rough rather than in cars.

Frankston Salvation Army (formerly Peninsula Youth and Family Services, now SalvoCare) & WAYSS (Westernport Accommodation and Youth Support Services Inc):10

• People who live in cars do not often visit SalvoCare or similar services.

• People who live in cars are often those who have become ‘recently’ homeless. Most likely, they have experienced a family break-down and are generally looking for permanent accommodation and would prefer not to sleep in their car.

[9] While this applies to women who have suffered domestic violence, and perhaps women with children, our own knowledge suggests that it does not apply to single women who are homeless; social workers assess the needs of each individual case.
[10] Six crisis workers were contacted at Frankston SalvoCare and WAYSS, and a meeting of Dandenong WAYSS (on Rooming Houses) was attended.

• A high proportion of people who sleep in cars, do so because they have a pet and have found finding a private rental difficult.

• Other reasons for people living in cars include mental health issues. These might prefer the solitude of parking on a residential street.

• Other thoughts on the Gated Car Park idea:

o Not a long-term solution to housing;

o Likely difficulties regarding funding and council permits;

o Security: potential users might see a Gated Car Park as a place where they can be "stood-over", robbed, etc, and be cautious of placing themselves in such a vulnerable situation. To succeed, it would need security and this will be expensive and potentially make the project unviable;

o A gated car park could work if there is access to social worker support.

• In 2014 a Salvation Army officer was reported as saying that, throughout Victoria, ‘more and more’ people are resorting to living in their cars, or in summer sleeping on the beach, ‘because of lack of affordable accommodation options.’11

Launch Housing

• ‘Launch Housing’ is a recent merging of Homeground (property) and Hanover (welfare) services, which endeavours to provide emergency housing and homelessness support. It operates ‘Australia’s only not-for-profit property management and real estate agency’.

• Its crisis workers focus on early intervention, and thus strongly oppose the Gated Car Park idea, thinking it might encourage people to live in cars. They advise that these people should instead be referred to those who would to help them find better housing.

Frankston Hospital:

• Hospital security reported that in his experience people who sleep in cars like to be somewhere quiet where they won't be disturbed.

• They occasionally have a run of people sleeping in cars, but the car-parks are patrolled & compliance officers will book those who exceed time limits or don't pay. Due to expense of parking, sleeping in cars ‘is not a big problem’.

• An area of free parking near the Botanical Gardens is also patrolled and anyone seen in a car is checked to ensure they are ok.

Seaford Beach Cabin Park
• The manager and owner have previously reported very high number of inquiries for accommodation at the park (up to ten a day), of which around three a week may have been living in their cars. Frankston hospital also regularly inquires on behalf of people who have presented to it.

[11] The Age, 26/7/2014

• However ‘statistics’ (as far as is possible without being intrusive to inquirers) regarding how many accommodation seekers might have been living in their car, or sleeping rough, are only beginning to be kept. In the last six weeks there have only been two (possibly) applicants who had been sleeping in cars.

• However these figures are likely to be distorted. At times a ‘no vacancy’ sign is displayed outside the cabin park. And, while there continue to be many inquiries for accommodation (including people asking residents about vacancies), the manager believes that “people may not be disclosing that they are living on the street”. This likelihood is confirmed by the experience of Cabin Park residents, who advise that people are unlikely to admit to landlords that they are living on the street when applying for accommodation. As well as the embarrassment and shame of admitting to homelessness, most landlords want proof that rent can be afforded, and information about previous accommodation.

• Research is continuing.

Chelsea Holiday Park
• A minimum of 2 requests for temporary accommodation per day from people who are on the street or living in cars. In the last month requests from 4 people who were living in hotels and 2 in cars.

• Some residents are supported by charity and government groups who would normally be on the street. They are turning some of their tourist cabins into residential accommodation due to the high demand.

• They feel that there is a great need for more programs to assist the homeless and far more temporary and long term accommodation needed in the electorate.

Pastor Bill Nagi

• In his 45 years working in welfare he has seen a steady cutback of government funding for youth support schemes, unskilled and semi-skilled jobs taken off-shore, and an increase in ‘victim blaming’ (eg ‘unmotivated’ youth).

• He worries that the $550 million new funding for domestic violence might be at the expense of public housing.

• In his experience in Frankston North, police often ‘hassle’ people sleeping in cars, moving them on.

Frankston CityLife (Nycey Stanley)

• People living in swags are often bashed and assaulted on the foreshore, and need to get a new swag and CentreLink card. They live a very transient lifestyle.

• Initial inquiries at CityLife revealed three or four people living in cars. Most of the people there are used to doing things for themselves, and going their own way. (Perhaps the majority who use such facilities aren’t the “newly homeless” who might be attracted to Gated Car Parks.)

• There were mixed reactions from the two respondents who provided feedback to the idea of a Gated Car Park. One thought it a good idea, but wasn’t sure if he would use it regularly. The other initially thought it might be a good idea, but then thought that there may be trouble between the users. The CityLife security guard also

anticipated the need for security at any Gated Car Park. She also would want to be assured regarding security, and how the secure gate would work.

• She thought that it would be a transient population that would stay for some nights, but move around.

• She thought cabins might be a better way to go but that if a Gated Car Park could be set up cheaply it would be worth a trial to see how the needy responded.

‘Splash’: Southern Peninsula Community Support and Information Centre mobile laundry, shower and food service, Rosebud Foreshore.

• The SPCSIC co-ordinator advised that of the seven people who have so far come along to this brand new program, three have been sleeping in cars.

• SPCSIC is developing a data-base that will keep more detail regarding who is coming to them for help, including where they are living (on streets, couch surfing etc). ‘Sleeping in car’ is not (yet) a category. They hope to be able to build up a better picture of who is homeless in the local area.

• The RDNS support service to the program said that in her experience sleeping in cars was often intermittent, maybe over weeks or a month, between more ‘permanent’ accommodations. One woman used to drive at nights to the street where she had lived in happier times. In addition to family breakdown, many had mental health, or drug abuse issues. The root cause was vanishing ‘affordable’ housing and crisis accommodation. At the most recent Peninsula regional ‘Emergency Relief Providers’ meeting it was advised that the nearest crisis accommodation is presently Endeavour Hills, with other options at Dandenong and St Kilda. There are some bad and overcrowded rooming houses, and caravan parks (preferred) are also disappearing. Two that are still available for homeless people are: the Bella Vista on Trumans Road which has also been sold for some holiday development and is in the process of closing down (only 6 of its 40 cabins available); and the Sundowner Willows on Eastbourne Road, which requires photo identification, and a bond, both of which eliminate some homeless people.

DISCUSSION

• Information (as yet far from conclusive) suggests that there are more people sleeping in cars in beach and poorer suburbs such as Frankston, Seaford, and Dandenong.
• Reasons people sleep in their cars, or sleep rough, include:
o Lack of affordable accommodation, including rental accommodation. This has increased greatly over past decade.
o Impossibility of finding rental accommodation without a job, or employment record, or letters of references and credit rating.
o Council for Homeless Persons reports plummeting percentage of affordable rental housing over last ten years (in Ballarat, from 80% to 25%)
o Associated increase in rent, which is beyond most people on welfare (Newstart or Youth Allowance).
o Public Housing sold off over previous decades. It is now grossly insufficient and those eligible for public housing are confronted with impossibly long

waiting lists for all but most urgent cases (primarily domestic abuse victims, but probably also women with children).12
o Some public housing in poor condition is being left vacant for long periods, and in the meantime is being trashed (Ballarat)
o Indifference and lack of compassion in the community (eg offering spare blankets, jackets, accommodation)
o Circumstances of the people themselves, including:
 Unemployment or under-employment
 Marriage or relationship break-up
 Physical health problems or disability (including unexpected injury preventing work)
 Domestic violence
 Mental health problems (including unexpected breakdown, or depression, chronic anxiety)
 Dependency on alcohol or drugs
 Financial difficulties (eg unexpected tax bill, gambling problem, generally poor money management skills)
Also:
 The working poor, and single income families
 Older women retiring without adequate funds

• The trend in the welfare/homelessness sector appears to be towards supported services and supported residences. However it is evident that homeless services and accommodation are already insufficient to cope with demand, and that many people are obliged to sleep rough.13

POSSIBLE FURTHER RESEARCH

Further information is possible.

1. Conversation with those sleeping in cars

[12] One SHAC member was told six years ago that the waiting time for public housing was 25-30 years; more recently she has been told that the wait is now ‘indefinite’. In the past four years she has twice had to complete a renewal of her application, in default of which she would have been removed from the waiting list. A letter accompanying the renewal form advised that public waiting lists had been closed and no new applications would be accepted. Such reports suggest that authorities no longer wants people on the public housing waiting list.

[13] One of the housing sector experts on ABC 774 Radio program on homelessness (11 am – midday, 20th July 2016) responded to the call of a Hastings man living in his car because of family breakdown, advising him simply that he ‘didn’t need to live in his car’, but should ring 1800 825 955 to be informed of his closest homelessness service. I rang that number (the St Kilda Crisis Centre) and was referred to SalvoCare, which is the government sanctioned ‘Housing Entry Point’ for the Frankston area. We know from experience however that this service often struggles to find crisis accommodation for even the most needy.

2. Seaford Beach Cabin Park, Frankston SalvoCare, Chelsea Holiday Park – continuing monitoring of accommodation-seekers.

3. Frankston Emergency Relief Providers (FERP)

4. Any women’s groups which address homelessness

5. Response from Ministers office

6. Department of Health and Human Services

• In addition to input from St Vincent de Paul, CityLife, and others with direct contact with homeless people sleeping in cars, it is recognised that we need to ask the people directly whether a Gated Car Park would meet their needs, or if they have other ideas, regarding safety, and other preferences regarding services.

We had prepared draft flyers to leave with people sleeping in their cars. We requested to go out with Frankston police to meet some of these people, but this request was not permitted. It was suggested we make contact ourselves with the people, and that having a flyer to introduce ourselves would assist.

Similarly, further direct contact with people sleeping in their cars could be made through other local services. Although Frankston’s CityLife, St Paul’s breakfast program have recently been wound up, Council has made some temporary (until 31st August) alternative arrangements at different local venues.

• Further contact (letters, media etc) with the wider community, including local politicians, would help gauge interest in assisting people living in their cars. A short description of possible Gated Car Park schemes would need to be prepared as part of this process.

• Dialogue with agencies whose support would be important in achieving Gated Car Parks, including those who presently oppose the idea, would also be essential.

POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS

We realised from the outset that not everyone would support the idea, including those in the welfare and housing sectors, as it is not a permanent or tidy solution to homelessness.

Our original proposal was simply for a safe place with basic amenities. We had given no thought to possibilities for professional services to help people into work or accommodation, or social integration or rehabilitation, although this survey suggests that such services might well be a part of any successful initiative.

During our investigations we also considered potential difficulties around security (eg, mixing troubled people together, mixing men and women), and with alternative possible options (eg mobile ‘gated’ car parks, mobile sleeping / washing / showering facilities). Some of these are noted below.

Other Possible Secure Parking Arrangements

Non Gated Car Parks.

• The Our Backyard scheme appears to rely for security on the establishment of facilities, and, at night, the ‘safety in numbers’ of those sleeping in their cars.

• If the model successful it would greatly increase the number of potential sites, as fencing and gating would not be required.

Safe Car Parks with Services

• Again, this is the Our Backyard model. It is also the one strongly favoured by social workers.

• It would require teaming up with a professional service provider (eg RDNS, or SalvoCare) or other funded community group. This would presumably ease the passage of the proposal through regulatory authorities, and also provide access to funding and grants.

Alternating Gated Car Park locations.
• Different Safe Spots / Gated Car Parks (perhaps up to 12) might be rotated regularly, with only people who live in their cars knowing the location of the current Safe Spot. This would reduce victimisation and assaults.

• Police would hopefully be happy to know where the homeless were and agreeable to not moving them on if they were parked in a Safe Spot.

• It would also reduce the load on the community or local / parish churches who would need to volunteer to provide and manage the facilities.

• Such a scheme might lead to the donation of a Gated Car Park or property and/or facilities that were more permanent;

Mobile Services for the Homeless

Another alternative to the proposed Gated Car Park, that would be similar in terms of practical support, would be provision of mobile services.

In the last two years three initiatives for people sleeping rough have been developed in Australia:

• ‘Orange Sky Laundry’: Clothes Washing. In late 2014 young Brisbane friends Lucas Patchett and Nicholas Marchesi, who had spent many hours meeting homeless as part of a secondary school program, noticed the dirty clothes that had been discarded in parks. They initiated, with their own money, a mobile clothes-washing service to homeless people. Many similar vans have now been built and operated by volunteers of the not-for-profit charity, which is run purely by sponsors and donors. It has been very successful, not least for the convivial chats and coffees that are part of the process.14

• ‘One Voice’: Showering. In 2014 another young man, Josh Wilkins, launched a pilot mobile shower for homeless people opposite Crown Casino in Melbourne. The success of this led to partnerships with organisations, and a world first, a Mobile Shower Bus. The full-size bus has two private shower cubicles, and a consulting room for health checks. One Voice states that there is a ‘genuine and overwhelming

14 Sydney Morning Herald, 21/5/2016 ‘Two of us: Lucas Patchett and Nicholas Marchesi’; also: http://www.caspa.edu.au/blog/young-australians-of-the-year-began-their--ministry--at- brisbane-catholic-college

need for access to safe and clean shower facilities.’ In 2015 email contact with Josh revealed he had been showcasing the bus in Frankston, and met with Council. He advised that many groups were interested in working with One Voice, and that the first move locally would be to team up with the RDNS.

• ‘SleepBus’. Once homeless himself, businessman Simon Rowe has attracted money from the corporate sector and crowdfunding, and skills from tradesmen, to convert a bus with multiple secure sleep pods, pet kennels, lockers, toilets, and an overnight caretaker. A 90 day trial in Melbourne was scheduled to begin 1st June. The bus is said to be a world first. If successful he envisages individuals and communities getting together to provide more of the (expensive) buses (apparently 319 buses that would house the 6,314 people sleeping rough around Australia).15

• ‘Project Homeless.’

Local businessman and manager of Seaford Beach Cabin Park Michael Hibbert has recently proposed to SHAC the idea of a van or trailer fitted out to provide mobile showers and/or clothes washing, some food/refreshments, as well as a virtual post office (an internet computer facility) for homeless. The van could be moved around the car parks as well as bushland known to be frequented by the homeless. Michael considers that a local business might provide a customised trailer for the purpose. It would require links with business people and a business plan, volunteers, and possibly, partnership with other professional welfare services.

• SPLASH (Southern Peninsula Laundry and Shower).

A similar idea has just been initiated by the Southern Peninsula Community Support and Information Centre. Its co-ordinator Robyn Coughlin informs that:

• The Rosebud-Rye section of the foreshore in particular attracts people sleeping in their cars because of its camping facilities and nearby community (free food etc) services. After consulting with local welfare and housing groups (including the local St Vincent de Paul who call on the rough sleepers) it was estimated that there are about 30 people sleeping rough in that strip every night.

• The service will operate 12 – 4 pm every Thursday, on the foreshore opposite Third Avenue Rosebud. At its first opening on 7th July five people attended. It is expected that word of mouth and community promotion might see it attract 10- 15 people, 20 maximum.

• SPCSIC is a long-established service-provider, and also uniquely placed in being able to capitalise on existing foreshore camping facilities. Advocacy by Mornington Peninsula Youth Services has also resulted in support from Mornington Council, meaning access to the camping ground showers, and power.

• The initiative provides showers, clothes washing, and a basic lunch (eg soup, bread rolls), as well as all-day tea/coffee. A marquee, tables and chairs are provided. Electric heating will be provided. Already some have opted to stay all day. Local welfare and housing services (eg RDNS, SalvoCare) will be rostered to attend one week at a time so as not to overwhelm, providing an opportunity to connect people to these services.

15 http://www.sleepbus.org ; The Age, 22/4/2016, ‘Former homeless man raises $58,000 to buy a ‘Sleep Bus’; https://www.gofundme.com/sleepbus; http://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2016/03/melbourne-entrepreneur-to-launch-sleepbus/

• Arrangements with Orange Sky Laundry haven’t yet been finalised; trouble finding a day when OS will be regularly available. An unforseen issue is that the driers ‘take forever’ so its envisaged that Splash could be a very useful day-time supplement to the Orange Sky service currently being operated from the Vinnies Kitchen in the evening. At present the program is accessing a camping ground washing machine and drier.

• There are different ‘demographics’ at play in the area. The Vinnies evening meal, and laundry service (as yet little promoted and patronised), mainly attracts men in 35-60 age group. The local Salvos breakfast attracts a broader demographic that Splash also wishes to serve.

• Splash is being fully resourced by the local community. SPCSIC only has to co- ordinate the input; there are no other costs. Eg the Youth Services provide and set-up the cooking facilities; local businesses provide clean towels, shampoos, food etc and the ‘Work for the Dole’ trailers in and sets up the marqees and chairs.

‘Buildings’ rather than ‘Mobile Services’

• Another proposal is that a Council (or perhaps welfare agency or church) building might be a better solution than mobile services, as:

• It would provide more comfort and relaxation for people, with space, electricity, water, sewerage, gas, phone, internet, television.

• Mobile phones could be charged, and perhaps computer internet access provided.

• It might provide people with an address (on their CentreLink card).

• Potential difficulties: would require staff as well as premises (and maintenance); might be seen as a ‘homeless shelter’, which have a poor reputation in some homeless quarters.

• Alternatively, these could be drop-in centres at staffed Council Community Centres, where people could relax and get access to power for charging phones, internet etc. Until recently Frankston has had two vital church-run drop-in centres (St Pauls, and CityLife) but both have recently closed due to security and tenancy difficulties.

In response to community concerns Frankston City Council has arranged temporary meal services centres.16 Two of these do in fact utilise Council neighbourhood and service centres (at Frankton North, and Seaford) in a manner not unlike this proposal. Another venue is at the Frankston Community Support, and the other is the Frankston station car park (hosted by Lifegate).

Advocacy on Behalf of People Sleeping Rough

There are numerous alternative tasks that we might undertake to help the local homeless sleeping in their cars. These include advocacy and lobbying. For example:

• for reduction of state and local government restrictions on building housing (granny flats, caravans etc) in backyards;

16 Until 31st August, when another organisation will provide a new permanent service.

• against cuts to funding of service providers such as Community Support Frankston;

• for regulations to “put empty houses to better use”,17

• for use of vacant government buildings (civic halls, schools etc) for crisis accommodation;

• for increased Council involvement with low-income housing (including perhaps providing shelters);

• for increased government provision or support of public, social and crisis housing;

• for small housing, perhaps on the cabin park model, or co-operative model;

• for ‘inclusive zoning’, to ensure a percentage of affordable housing especially in subdivision of former government land;

• improvements to rooming houses;

• provision of homeless shelters.

In addition there is also a strong need to educate the general public, local government, and politicians regarding the extent and need to address homelessness. (Including perhaps, widespread distribution of ‘directory’ information with services for homeless and at-risk-of-homelessness people.)

SOME INITIAL CONCLUSIONS

It is clear that sleeping rough, including in cars, is uncomfortable, stressful, fraught with danger of assault and robbery, and also of being ‘moved on’ by authorities. It deprives people of access to good (or even warm) food, showers, clothes washing, and access to basic communication, such as the internet, and mobile phone charging.

It also worsens social disenfranchisement, further reinforcing diminishing confidence and self respect.

Occasional metropolitan newspaper reports on the issue of homelessness reveal that sleeping rough leads to sleep deprivation, which worsens problems with mental health, and weakens coping stills and resourcefulness.

A Gated Car Park

While further research (directly surveying the people themselves, and perhaps from Cabin Parks) is necessary, the information presently available does not suggest that there would be great demand for a Gated Car Park in the Frankston area.

We need more evidence of potential demand for a Gated Car Park in the Frankston area. The evidence we have at present is not conclusive regarding either numbers, or the preferences, of those sleeping rough. Further evidence should be obtained from:

17 Catherine Cashmore, Speculative Vacancies 8 Report, Prosper Australia, December 2015; also editorials of some suburban Leader papers (eg Knox, Whittlesea), 1st March 2016

• The homeless people themselves, as far as appropriate, to gauge: their stories of sleeping rough; their needs and preferences; whether they would use a Gated Car Park; and any knowledge they might have of the number of people sleeping in cars.

• Ongoing collection of data or estimates regarding numbers, from:

o Seaford Beach Cabin Park

o SalvoCare, the provider of crisis housing in the Frankston area (if possible)

o Chelsea Holiday Park (if possible)

o Frankston Emergency Relief Providers (FERP)

o Any specialised groups which address women’s homelessness

There is opposition to the idea from some local welfare and housing agency workers. Support from these groups will be necessary in order to proceed. FERP, who originally received this idea positively, might be able to comment further, or assist in this regard.

Alternatively a trial might be made if a local venue can be easily obtained, This should run long enough for it to be generally promoted and to become known amongst the homeless.

Other Alternatives

• ‘Watching Brief’. Keeping a live interest in people sleeping rough in the area, providing moral support, assessing their needs, and working with Council and police regarding the issue of ‘moving on’ people sleeping in cars.

• ‘Mobile Services’. Provision (with others) of mobile services, which offer more than a Gated Car Park, such as clothes washing, showering, food (eg soup van model), although some of these might also be incorporated into a Gated Car Park. Such mobile facilities have the advantage of servicing all those sleeping rough, rather than only those with cars.

However mobile services would not address the critical safe sleeping issue (unless a SleepBus was provided). Neither would they deliver the evening toilet or kitchen facilities that it might be possible to provide in a Gated Car Park.

Other than providing permanent crisis housing in the Frankston area, the SleepBus is the only option that would provide comfortable, as well as safe, sleeping for homeless people.

Provision of internet access and access to power to charge phones have also been suggested as useful services, and a way might be found to incorporate these services into either a ‘Project Homeless’ mobile service, or a Gated Car Park.

• ‘Advocacy’ in support of emergency and social housing, and existing welfare and homeless services.

• ‘Education’ of public and politicians at all levels regarding the extent of homelessness, affordable housing, needs of homeless, and options for personal compassion.

• ‘Small Housing’. With others, investigation of options for low-income housing, either in suburban backyards, or in estates (eg, on the Seaford Beach Cabin Park, or ‘Carry On Victoria’, or other models). Housing Minister Foley at his June meeting in Seaford intimated that the State government is very interested in the option of identifying unused land, and providing financial assistance with which to ‘leverage’ local community initiatives in providing affordable social housing. Some of this could perhaps provide ‘crisis’ accommodation, to serve people sleeping rough.

• ‘Support of Existing Services’. SHAC members might also personally support ‘hands- on’ established services, or join with others to support new community services, such as drop-in centres or food pantries. SHAC might also lobby in support of and promote such facilities in the local area.

• ‘Other’. Work through the previous SHAC list of other potential