Launched this morning alongside Minister Nat Cook, the City of PAE will be the focus of South Australia's second Zero Project, seeking to end rough sleeping homelessness across the community. The Port Adelaide Enfield Zero Project, is a collaboration between the state government, Adelaide North West Homelessness Alliance, the City of PAE and the South Australian Alliance to End Homelessness.
Current estimates suggest there are, on average, between 30 and 40 people sleeping rough across the Port Adelaide Enfield community.
The Port Adelaide Enfield Zero Project will establish a By-Name List that provides real-time data on the number and needs of individuals experiencing rough sleeping homelessness in the PAE area, and to better coordinate service responses, including improved housing and support outcomes.
City of PAE Mayor Claire Boan said, "The City of Port Adelaide Enfield is committed to supporting wellbeing for the whole community and supporting a service system that works. We recognise that homelessness has a significant impact on the community and are proud to be part of this exciting initiative to end homelessness in Port Adelaide Enfield."
"Port Adelaide Enfield has always been a council that celebrates social inclusion and the PAE Zero Project creates real mechanisms for supporting marginalised members of the community. The exciting part of the Port Adelaide Enfield Zero Project is seeing different organisations come together for the common goal."
The Adelaide Zero Project launch in 2018 and since then has identified more than 2,100 people sleeping rough in the inner city, with the public dashboard showing between 150 and 200 rough sleepers on any given night. More than half (1,100) of those identified have secured accommodation with around 90% remaining housed or not returning to rough sleeping in the city. Others identified through the Zero Project moved to other communities – supporting the call for an expansion of the approach in other areas.
New Zero communities allow the homelessness system to expand its coordinated service response for people sleeping rough beyond the inner city, ensuring supports are localised and tailored to needs on the ground.