About the Group

The Homelessness Prevention & Early Intervention (HOPE) Interagency was a coalition of Blue Mountains' community organisations, Specialist Housing Services, local Council, community groups, faith-based groups and State/Commonwealth government agencies with an interest in preventing homelessness, and improving housing affordability (both rental and purchase) in the Blue Mountains.

Sadly, as MCRN has been de-funded by the NSW government after 40+ years as the peak body in the Mountains and will have to close its doors at the end of 2026, it will no longer be able to convene any interagencies. 

Purpose/Goals

HOPE fully supported the following five key national priorities to ease housing stress in Australia:

• Making housing affordability a key goal of all Governments
• Increase rent assistance for struggling renters
• Build more affordable housing
• A fairer tax system (specifically, changing the tax breaks for housing investors, such as negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts; and assisting state governments to abolish stamp duty and introduce a broad-based land tax), and
• Support for first home buyers – that doesn't push up house prices.

Our goals are consistent with the current Commonwealth and State Government policy and strategic intent (The Road Home, the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness and the Going Home, Staying Home reforms); in addition, we go further to advocate:

• Improved access to housing and support for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness (‘housing first’)
• Intervention earlier to prevent homelessness where possible, and
• ‘Wrap around’ service support to restore housing stability.

Activities

In 2015 the HOPE Steering Group (a coalition of Blue Mountains' agencies - including ‘The Platform’ youth accommodation and support services; Youth Accommodation Information Network (YAIN); and Wentworth Community Housing, the local housing provider, BM Family Support Services, Blue Mountains City Council, MCRN, DHS/Centrelink, and the BM Tenants' Advice & Advocacy Service) finalised a position paper.  Unfortunately, following multiple disasters and the COVID pandemics, while the central arguments still stand, the situation has become significantly more dire since the paper was written, with house/renting costs in the Mountains escalating out of the reach of even many double-income families:

• - Defaulting on the Australian Dream – Towards a Housing Strategy for the Blue Mountains

The HOPE Interagency believed that there are a number of (generally) relatively low-cost/no-cost options which, if implemented, could significantly improve the housing situation in the Blue Mountains. The longer-term intention was to ensure that all key players are ‘in the tent' – including lived-experience of homelessness.

Meetings

- How often: - The Homelessness Prevention and Early Intervention Interagency previously met on an 'as needs' basis.

- Where: - Previously, the MCRN Meeting Room, Cnr Loftus Street & San Jose Avenue, Lawson.