Street counts

Street counts aim to collect accurate and up-to-date information about the number of people sleeping rough in the local area. Occupied beds in temporary shelters and homelessness hostels are also counted.

People living in boarding houses, staying with friends or living in other forms of non-secure housing are not counted. No information regarding the specific location of rough sleepers is published or released.

Street counts take place in February every year. Each count relies on the goodwill and participation of more than 150 volunteers.

We actively seek the advice of people who are currently homeless or have experienced homelessness in the past. To date, 50 different individuals with lived experience of homelessness have advised and assisted us in multiple street counts.

Our homelessness unit develops responses to homelessness according to need. Street count results are regularly used to advocate to state and federal governments, along with potential partners, for the resources necessary to achieve enduring solutions to homelessness.

A key part of the our homelessness action plan, the street counts also help to monitor the progress of our organisation and partners in reducing the numbers of people experiencing homelessness in the local area. Counting the numbers of people experiencing primary homelessness is only 1 method of collecting data but it’s an important one.