TWiSK reports on two important decisions at Council on 17 September.
Councillors voted unanimously to support a range of spending in support of a revised Homelessness and Affordable Housing Strategy.
Rather than being a hands-on developer of affordable housing, the council will focus on supporting community agencies. This includes an additional $100,000 in 2025/26 and $250,000 in 2026/27 to St Kilda Community Housing to support the soon-to-be-opened Madden House Common Ground site in Wellington Street, conditional on State and Federal support. The innovative BridgeIt program supporting homeless young women will also receive $15,000 in 2025/26 and 2026/27 (read TWiSK story on this program).
Council also voted to consider support for projects suggested by key organisations represented in the Safety Round Table, including Ngwala, Sacred Heart, Southside Justice and South Port Community Housing. The strategy also foreshadows support for identifying a new service and social hub for those experiencing homelessness.
Draft new Safety Plan approved for community consultation
Councillors also voted unanimously to send a draft ‘Feel Safe. Be Safe. Community Safety Plan 2025-2029’ out for community comment for about a month from October 6, before returning to council in December for endorsement and adoption. The draft budgets $550,000 for a range of projects that tackle issues in three ‘pillars,’ namely:
1. Creating safer public places;
2. Improving communication and information; and
3. Strengthening social cohesion and connecting communities.
While the draft received unanimous approval, the meeting was obviously tense, with the f-bomb dropped and councillors expressing their exasperation and frustration.
In the background are delays within VicPol leadership signing off on the three-step protocol with council (assessment, intervention, and enforcement) recommended by the Community Safety Roundtable. The draft protocol is yet to be approved by the police and is currently progressing through their bureaucracy, which requires multiple levels of sign-off.
Cr. Jay wanted the Council’s consultation to be delayed until the police had finalised their approvals. She was exasperated when the meeting procedure frustrated her concerns. This prompted Cr. Halliday to drop the f-bomb, which he later withdrew with an apology.
Battle lines remain stark, with the progressive-leaning councillors hoping that a written protocol with the police will be effective in supporting the homeless and dealing with encampments. Meanwhile, the prospect of changing local laws to designate no-encampment areas remains in play and has the support of at least three councillors, maybe more.
Watch this space
With the community consultation period starting on October 6 and ending November 2, it’s likely that much uncertainty will be created by the missing piece of the puzzle – a written agreement between the police and the council.
But the truth is that there are no easy solutions to homelessness, nor are the homeless the sole cause of safety fears. It’s a highly charged and emotive topic in the community and also on the council.
Expect more sharp language to be deployed.
