Homelessness is solvable given the will to act

As Homelessness Week begins, the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW can reveal that close to 2,400 people were unable to access its homelessness and housing services in the past year, primarily due to services operating at capacity.

The Society NSW supported 6,400 people through its homelessness and housing services in the 2025/26 financial year with domestic and family violence (28%), evictions (14%) and rental increases (12%) among the leading reasons for assistance.

Over half of the 100,000 people supported by our members experienced housing stress.

The sustained demand for assistance has prompted the Society NSW to call for increased core funding for homelessness services and continued investment in a large-scale and sustained social housing expansion program to restore the social housing safety net and grow the percentage of social housing to 10% of residential dwellings over the next two decades.

“Every day, our members, volunteers and services are supporting people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and it is becoming increasingly challenging to provide the type of structural support necessary due to the lack of housing options and pathways,” said Yolanda Saiz, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO.

“It is heartbreaking for our services to turn people away in times of crisis, but without further investment in the sector things will not change.”

Data released by the Society NSW’s homelessness and housing services found that the average length of time to secure a housing outcome increased by 9% over the past year to 203 days.

More than 69,000 households are currently on the waitlist for social housing across the state; the demand for social housing in NSW has increased by 24% in the past three years.

“People and families are having to stay at our services for longer because there simply aren’t enough homes that are available or affordable. Social housing accounts for just 4.5% of homes in NSW at present. We have to be bolder to ensure that everyone has a safe, secure and stable place to call home,” said Ms Saiz.

More than 35,000 people were experiencing homelessness in NSW according to the most recent Census data from 2021.

“Homelessness is increasing throughout the state in cities and regional areas alike. Our members support people every day who are struggling to keep a roof over their head – more than half of the 100,000 people they supported last year were experiencing housing stress,” said Peter Houweling, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW State President.