GUEST SPEAKER (22 Sept.2020)

Our guest speaker was David Motta, a building engineer with JLL looking after Central Park and a member of Osborne Park Rotary.  David become involved with Rotary's Homeless Hub and when the "My Home" project was started David volunteered to look after the project for the group.

 

David's talk covered -

The main driving forces for homelessness are domestic violence and affordability.  There are 9000 plus people considered 'homeless' in WA each night and 30% are Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander. The homeless we see on the street are only about 10% of the issue with about 50% of homeless living in cars or moving around; couch surfing, boarding houses etc.

 

The target for the 'My Home' project  aren't the 'rough sleepers' as they require more support and other programs/ projects are supporting them,  The 'My Home' project is focused on people who cannot afford their own home but are capable of looking after a home.https://www.shelterwa.org.au/case-study/allans-stroy

 

 

The state government has committed $70 million to build two Common Ground facilities which are a building with individual units and 24 hour support staff for high needs based housing.  My Home addresses the low medium needs and the target market is women over 55, the fastest growing group of homeless.

 

The major cost of providing community housing is the land.  The land for the 'My Home' project is provided by the State Government. The private sector enables construction through tax deductible funding or supply of materials/products and a community housing provider manages housing and tenants.

 

The following is the North Fremantle development.  Keep developments small, not a ghetto.

What can Rotary Clubs do?

Homelessness is a preventable social issue in WA and the shortage of low-cost housing is a major contributing factor. Rotary supporting "My Home" is one way we can help give people a home.