More homelessness support for Lismore

A NEW homelessness accommodation hub has opened in Lismore, following the conversion of a former aged care facility into 54 emergency accommodation rooms for people sleeping rough.

Alongside the self-contained en-suite rooms, there is a range of communal spaces, including a children’s playroom, interconnecting family rooms, and private consultation rooms. Fourteen rooms are dedicated to women aged 55 and older.

The new facility follows the opening of a similar hub earlier this year in Tweed Heads South, which has supported 49 people into long-term housing.

The collaboration between the NSW Government and Community Housing Provider Social Futures in Lismore is supported by more than $1 million in funding from the Homelessness Innovation Fund (HIF) and $2.9 million in funding from the federal government’s Crisis and Transitional Accommodation Program (CTAP).

Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness Clare O’Neil said the Federal Government was working hand-in-hand with the NSW Government to tackle homelessness.

“This new hub in Lismore shows what we can achieve when all levels of government work together to support people experiencing homelessness with dignity and wrap-around services,” O’Neil said.

“Behind every statistic about homelessness is a person who deserves a safe place to call home and the support they need to get back on their feet.”

NSW Minister for the North Coast and Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said it was heartening to see this project come to life.

“We have seen this work so well in the Tweed already, converting disused aged care sites into this housing where we wrap services around our most vulnerable to ensure they are supported every step of the way to permanent housing,” Saffin said.

One of the key actions in the NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035 is to replace hotels and motels with more appropriate homelessness accommodation, along with tailored support.

The HIF has supported 70 projects across NSW to date, with grants totalling more than $26.9 million, delivering more than 800 new rooms across various models.