Are homelessness prevention schemes actually working? To find out, we need more person-specific data, experts say

Despite the federal government spending $4.5 billion on six different housing programs, the Auditor General has found that there is insufficient data to conclude that these programs are reducing chronic homelessness

Why It Matters

Data can give shelters greater transparency on who is using their services, but there is still a severe lack of information about some of the reasons that people become homeless in the first instance. That means that at present, data is mainly helping the sector ‘react’ to those experiencing homelessness, rather than actively moving to prevent it.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"Are homelessness prevention schemes actually working? To find out, we need more person-specific data, experts say. (Photo: elxeneize\/Envanto) This independent journalism on data, digital transformation and technology for social impact is made possible by the Future of Good editorial fellowship on digital transformation, supported by Mastercard Changeworks\u2122. Read our editorial ethics and standards here.\u00a0 The federal government has a goal of reducing chronic homelessness by 50 per cent by the 2027 - 2028 fiscal year \u2014\u00a0but they don\u2019t know whether they\u2019re making progress.\u00a0 There is a severe lack of data on how much progress has been made in achieving that target so far, and how housing-related funding has actually been

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