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ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST - AN EVALUATION SNAPSHOT: Zero Project Snapshot - Ruah ...
AN EVALUATION SNAPSHOT:

ABORIGINAL
EXPERIENCES OF
HOUSING FIRST
Zero Project Snapshot

Shannen Vallesi and Lisa Wood​
The University of Western Australia​

April 2021​
ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST - AN EVALUATION SNAPSHOT: Zero Project Snapshot - Ruah ...
ARTWORK BY ANTHEA CORBETT. Anthea is a Yamatji and Wajarri Noongah/Yuet woman who was housed by the 50 Lives
project in 2016 after experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping for many years. The pieces are entitled “Wadgee Mia [No Home]” –
Piece 1 (above) is about a strong and healthy family unit and trouble free. ​
Piece 2 (back inside cover) shows the difference through challenges stemming from the difficulties within the lifestyle. The feet
walking keeping the Culture connected.
ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST - AN EVALUATION SNAPSHOT: Zero Project Snapshot - Ruah ...
THE 50 LIVES
50 HOMES PROJECT​
The 50 Lives 50 Homes         50 Lives was founded on a Housing       represented in homelessness
(50 Lives) project was        First approach, working to provide      statistics across Australia
                              people with safe and stable             and in WA, and aligns with the
a collective impact project
                              permanent accommodation without         State Strategy on Improving
that commenced in late-2015   preconditions. Exemplifying its         Aboriginal Wellbeing as one
with the aim to house and     collective impact ethos, over 30        of the four focus areas.1 ​
support the most vulnerable   organisations have been involved
                              across homelessness, health, welfare    This snapshot explores evaluation
rough sleepers in Perth.                                              findings for the overall 50 Lives
                              and community service sectors.
                              Having a lead backbone agency is        project, looking at how experiences
                              a key pillar of successful collective   and housing outcomes compare
                              impact initiatives, and for 50 Lives    between Aboriginal and non-
                              this has been provided by Ruah          Aboriginal peoples who have been
                              Community Services. As of October       supported by 50 Lives. The snapshot
                              2020, 50 Lives transitioned into a      also reflects on how Housing First
                              broader Zero Project, expanding         approaches need to be adapted to
                              the model to other communities          better suit the needs of Aboriginal
                              and adopting an Advance to Zero         and Torres Strait Islander peoples. ​
                              methodology aimed at ending
                              rough sleeping. ​
                                                                       “Over time they lost so much
                              An independent evaluation of              space that they have moved
                              50 Lives has been undertaken by           into homelessness. You are
                              UWA since 2016. This snapshot             focussing on housing and they
                                                                        need belonging.”
                              focussing on how the program
                              has supported and engaged with           – Aboriginal Elder, 50 Lives​
                              Aboriginal people, who are over-

                                                                                     EVALUATION SNAPSHOT |    01
ABORIGINAL HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTRALIA
   Aboriginal and Torres Strait                       belonging” this imposes are

                                                                                                             x 10
   Islander peoples represent only                    consequences of the lasting                                      MORE LIKELY
                                                                                                                       TO EXPERIENCE
   3% of the Australian population,                   impact of colonisation.4 The                                     HOMELESSNESS
   however, comprise 28% of the total                 legacy of assimilation policies
   homeless population.2 In the 2016                  also impact intergenerational
                                                                                                             x 16
                                                                                                                       MORE LIKELY TO ​
   Census, 1 in 28 Indigenous people                  trauma, cultural oppression,                                     LIVE IN SEVERELY
   were homeless, with 39% of these                   racism, poverty, lower education,                                CROWDED HOUSES​
   people under 18 years of age.2​                    and unemployment, contributing
   Dispossession from land and
   culture3 and the sense of “not
                                                      to the disproportionate rates of
                                                      Aboriginal homelessness.2,3,4 ​                        39%​      UNDER
                                                                                                                       18 YEARS​

                                                                                                                               (AIHW, 2019)

   INDIGENOUS HOUSING FIRST
   To date, there have been few                       However as noted in a recent New                of their cultural communities and
   Indigenous-specific examples of                    Zealand paper on homelessness                   connections”.6 The authors also
   Housing First Initiatives, with the                in Maori communities6, it is                    argue that Housing First initiatives
   only published examples coming                     collective self-determination that is           need to take into account differing
   from Canada and New Zealand.5,6,7                  culturally paramount. As noted by               Indigenous understandings of
   Housing First principles of self-                  the authors, conventional Housing               homelessness, home and sense of
   determination (including choice),                  First approaches focus primarily on             place and land. This resonates with
   respect and autonomy have been                     the individual or at best the family            Australia’s Aboriginal people, where
   noted in the literature to be more                 unit, whilst for Maori communities,             ties to family and country are deeply
   aligned with Indigenous values                     “Housing First might best                       rooted in culture, with enormous
   and communities than some of                       operate on a clear and committed                variability in how it looks across the
   the more traditional responses to                  understanding of the whakapapa                  many different Aboriginal nations
   homelessness that can sometimes                    or kinship of the homeless                      that exist within Australia.​
   be construed as paternalistic.6                    indigenous person in the context

   TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE ABORIGINAL PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
   HOMELESSNESS BEEN SUPPORTED BY 50 LIVES?
   Since 50 Lives commenced the                       were 39 years old (range: 16-73                 (66%) were Aboriginal. A higher
   organisations involved in 50 Lives                 years). The majority (72%) of                   percentage of Aboriginal peoples
   have provided support to 427                       Aboriginal participants were                    were female (56%) compared to
   rough sleepers, 40% of which                       supported via the Rough Sleepers                non-Aboriginal peoples. ​
   are Aboriginal. On average,                        working group, but of total
   Aboriginal peoples supported                       families in 50 Lives two thirds

   OF THE 427 PEOPLE SUPPORTED BY 50 LIVES:
   The data presented in this snapshot report was valid as at 30 June 2020.

                    40%​                                  39                               56%                                 43%​
      are Aboriginal and/or                   average age –                     of Aboriginal people are            of Aboriginal people are
      Torres Strait Islander               compared to 36 for                 female – compared to 39% for            male – compared to
             (n=170)                         non-Aboriginal​                         non-Aboriginal​                58% for non-Aboriginal​

02 | ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST
COMPLEXITY
OF NEEDS
OF THE 376 INDIVIDUAL* VI-SPDAT RESPONDENTS:​

                 36%​                                      6 YEARS                                  92%​                                90%​
   are Aboriginal and/or                      spent homeless** – ​                   serious health condition –                 tri-morbidity –​
   Torres Strait Islander                   11 months longer than                      compared to 85% for                    compared to 80% for
          (n=137)​                              non-Aboriginal​                           non-Aboriginal​                       non-Aboriginal​

               12.1                                        50%​                                     75%​                                 29%​
 average vi-spdat score – ​                 had been in care as a                    had been to prison –                      have diabetes –​
   compared to 11.9 for ​                  child compared to 33%                     compared to 45% for                     compared to 8% for
     non-Aboriginal​                           non-Aboriginal​                         non-Aboriginal​                         non-Aboriginal​

*	A total of 380 out of 427 of people supported by 50 Lives completed an Individual VI-SPDAT but 4 people did not report Ethnicity. A further 44 people
    completed a Family VI-SPDAT and 3 individuals did not provide consent for their VI-SPDAT to be used.​
**	Prior to completing the VI-SPDAT, total time homeless could be much longer if they completed survey and remained homeless for many more years​

                                                                                                                           EVALUATION SNAPSHOT |            03
COMPLEXITY OF HEALTH AND HOUSING NEEDS: A CASE STUDY
   Pam is an Aboriginal female in          Pam is regularly bought into ED          As the health system often treats
   her early forties who has been          via ambulance often related to           AOD, mental health and physical
   sleeping in a park for many years.      alcohol intoxication, abdominal          conditions in silos, and Pam has
                                           pain and injuries from assaults.         complex physical health conditions
   She originates from a central           She routinely discharges herself as      and trauma, she in effect has
   Australian community but has
                                           soon as she is sober, so for a long      fallen through the cracks in both
   been permanently banned due to
                                           time little work on her underlying       health and homelessness systems.
   traditional law. She has a history of
                                           physical and mental health, or           Pam underwent bilateral cataract
   trauma and suffers from multiple
                                           social circumstances has occurred.       surgery once COVID restrictions
   chronic health conditions including
                                           In 2020 (up to mid-Nov), Pam             lifted and was supported into
   alcohol-related end stage liver
                                           had 61 ED presentations and 52           transitional accommodation post-
   cirrhosis, anaemia, pneumonia
                                           inpatient admissions (totalling 88       surgery. Unfortunately Pam left her
   and is legally blind from bilateral
                                           days), equating to nearly $290,000.8     transitional accommodation after
   cataracts. She has heavy daily
                                           Despite frequent ED attendance she       only two weeks. She is currently
   alcohol intake in response to the
                                           has no recorded history with mental      rough sleeping wanting a place of
   traumatic loss of all contact with
                                           health services, nor been linked into    her own; her drinking makes finding
   her family and Country. Pam scored
   14 on the VI-SPDAT in late 2017. ​      community support services.              suitable accommodation difficult.

   DIFFERENCES IN ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL NEEDS
   Nationally, 28% of people               This may be due to only 17% of           may require additional legal support,
   experiencing homelessness are           youth participants being Aboriginal      and as observed in report 39, past
   Aboriginal and or Torres Strait         and thus the non-Aboriginal average      indiscretions may catch up with
   Islander; in 50 Lives 40% of            age is resultingly younger.​             you and result in loss of tenancies.​
   people supported are Aboriginal.
   This is important to note as the
                                           Self-Report Health and Justice           The prevalence of many of the
                                           Differences and Implications             self-reported health conditions
   individuals supported via 50 Lives
                                           for Support​                             were similar, however Aboriginal
   are considered as some as the most
                                                                                    respondents reported more diabetes
   vulnerable rough sleepers in our        While the overall individual
                                                                                    (29% vs 8%), hypothermia (16%
   community (as assessed via the          VI-SPDAT score was similar (only
                                                                                    vs 11%), asthma (50% vs 45%) and
   VI-SPDAT). Scoring higher on this       0.15 difference in score), there were
                                                                                    less cancer (8% vs 13%) than non-
   tool suggests longer time spent         a number of outcomes Aboriginal
                                                                                    Aboriginal respondents. Overall,
   homeless and a multitude of health      respondents were more likely to
                                                                                    they were significantly more likely
   and other psychosocial needs.​          report experiencing. All justice-
                                                                                    to have at least one serious health
                                           related questions were answered
   Demographic Differences and                                                      condition (92% vs 85%, p
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE
SERVICES AND SUPPORT​

“Aboriginal people make up
                                      CONNECTING PEOPLE TO SERVICES
 around half of street present
 homeless people in Perth, so it is
                                      50 Lives is collaborative in            Ongoing systematic racism and
                                      nature, with over 30 different          deeply rooted intergenerational
 vitally important to support and
                                                                              trauma that many Aboriginal
 work with them in a responsive       participating organisations
 and culturally appropriate                                                   peoples continue to experience
                                      across Perth.                           today can contribute to an overall
 way. It is also imperative that
 WA returns to an Aboriginal          As homelessness is a deeply-set,        distrust of mainstream services,
 housing policy that recognises       multi-factorial and multi-faceted       hence the need for Aboriginal-
 the unique desires, needs and
                                      issue, these services span over the     specific services. 50 Lives has
 obligations of Aboriginal                                                    worked closely with service key
 peoples and their families in
                                      community, housing, health and
                                                                              Aboriginal services across Perth
 relation to housing. We need         justice sectors providing individuals
                                                                              and established the Wongee Mia
 to support these families to         differing types of help as per their
                                                                              project as a novel Aboriginal
 thrive in their own way, rather      individual needs. ​
                                                                              Housing First Model.​
 than making them fit into the
 small boxes the government           While there are many challenges
                                                                              One specific example of how
 has always tried to force them       to housing long-term rough
                                                                              Noongar Mia Mia (an Aboriginal
 into. Fundamentally, though,         sleepers regardless of their
                                                                              Housing Provider) works differently
 Aboriginal people need the same      cultural background, there are
 thing we all do – a stable, secure                                           to other mainstream housing
                                      additional sensitivities and cultural
 home to raise their family. That                                             providers, is that they have established
                                      requirements that need to be            Tenant Housing Standards. These
 is a basic human right, and it is
                                      considered for Aboriginal peoples       Standards were developed by a
 absurd that so many are denied
 this – righting this historic        experiencing homelessness (see          council of 100 Elders through the
 wrong ought to be an immediate       pages 9-10). Where possible, people     Ngulluk Koolunga Ngulluk Koort
 and urgent priority for any          should be connected to culturally       (Our Children, Our Heart) Project
 government who is serious            relevant services that are able         and each tenant signs off on them
 about Closing the Gap and            to respond to the complex and           before moving into their property.
 creating genuine reconciliation      intertwined nature of Aboriginal        This helps to ensure that tenants are
 with First Australians.”             homelessness. This includes both        aware of their Elders’ expectations
– Aboriginal Organisation             Aboriginal housing providers            of them and how they are to manage
                                      and Aboriginal support services.        and behave in their home.​

                                                                                             EVALUATION SNAPSHOT |       05
THE WONGEE MIA PROJECT
   Wongee Mia is a special initiative     The family named the project           and guide and educate towards
   of 50 Lives that was designed to       after the grandmother of the           culturally appropriate responses.
   house and support Aboriginal           central family member, who was         In contrast to traditional one-to-
   chronic rough sleepers in Perth.       an advocate for strengthening          one case management models,
   It was developed from small seed       family ties and providing shelter,     the Wongee Mia project takes
   funding in consultation with both      her family call her “Wongee”           a “family-centred approach”,
   Indigenous staff within Ruah           meaning strong woman, with             whereby the total caseload is
   and with specialist Aboriginal         “Mia” meaning home in the              the whole family.10​
   organisations as there was an          Noongar language.10 ​
   identified gap within the program
   for supporting Aboriginal people.      Central to the Wongee Mia project
                                          and how they support Aboriginal         “Wongee” meaning strong
   The project developed strong
                                          chronic rough sleepers is via the        woman, with “Mia” meaning
   ties with the family Elders and                                                 home in the Noongar language. 10
   as a result the project was renamed    input of Elders. Elders provide
   Wongee Mia. The program works          information on relationships to
   with a central person and their        consider when housing someone,
   entire family.                         preferred living arrangements,

   CULTURAL APPROPRIATENESS OF HOUSING: A CASE STUDY
   Bella is an Elder who has              property nor did he live with          wording for the application,
   been supported by Wongee               her at the time of his death due       focussing on physical issues
   Mia since mid-2018.                    to property restrictions placed        with the property rather than
                                          on the tenancy.​                       the cultural inappropriateness
   After the passing of her son,                                                 and spiritually-related issues.
   she applied for a property transfer    Bella was filled with deep sadness
                                                                                 The HSO also waived the ‘cooling
   via the Housing Authority which        after his death and she believed
                                                                                 off’ period, which enabled Bella
   was initially rejected. There are      his spirit was tied to the property.
                                          Over time Bella spent less and         to submit the second request
   policies under the “Cultural                                                  shortly after her first rejection.
   Diversity and Language Services        less time in her flat.​
                                                                                 After about eight months she was
   Policy” 11 that enables Aboriginal     Her Wongee Mia case worker             rehoused in her new home.​
   tenants to transfer to alternative     and her Housing Support Officer
   properties for cultural reasons        (HSO) worked together to submit
   such as death in a property, but       a second transfer request.
   this didn’t apply in this situation    The HSO provided her case
   as her son did not die in the          worker with more appropriate

06 | ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST
HOUSING NEEDS
AND OUTCOMES​

HOUSING OUTCOMES
In total, 68 out of 170               However, there were no                    tenancy directly into homelessness
Aboriginal people supported           differences in the percentage             (48% vs 55%), this was partly
through 50 Lives have                 of Aboriginal compared to                 due to moving into other types of
                                      non-Aboriginal peoples housed             accommodation (not necessarily
been housed at some point,            as at 30 June 2020, Aboriginal            permanent) but was also partly due
meaning that an overall               peoples were less likely to sustain       to higher tenancy exits into prison
smaller proportion of the             a tenancy for one year (75% vs            (10% compared to 2%).
Aboriginal cohort was                 83%) and were more likely to be
housed (40%) compared                 evicted (39% vs 34%- excluding
to their non-Aboriginal               deaths). However, Aboriginal
counterparts (51%).                   people were less likely exit their

AS AT 30 JUNE 2020, 199 INDIVIDUALS HAD BEEN HOUSED IN 240 HOMES:​

                40%​                       77%​                             75%​                              48%​
    of Aboriginal people       of Aboriginal tenants          of Aboriginal tenants             of Aboriginal tenancy
supported have been housed    were still housed as at     sustained their tenancies for     exits were into homelessness
 at some point – compared     30 June 2020 – same as      at least one year – compared      – compared to 55% for non-
 to 51% for non-Aboriginal​       non-Aboriginal​          to 83% for non-Aboriginal​        Aboriginal (excluding deaths)​

                                                                                               EVALUATION SNAPSHOT |          07
THE NEED FOR ONGOING SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY
   TO REHOME: A CASE STUDY
   Background​                                       Engagement with 50 Lives ​                        however has a history of
                                                                                                       non-engagement. Due to her
   Daisy is an Aboriginal woman                      In early 2016 Daisy scored 15 on
                                                                                                       domestic violence situation
   in her mid-late twenties who has                  the VI-SPDAT survey, and became
                                                                                                       she has had to leave multiple
   been in and out of homelessness                   part of 50 Lives a couple months
                                                                                                       properties, often returning
   for nearly half her life after                    afterwards. Daisy has cycled
                                                                                                       to sleeping rough.​
   running away from foster care.                    through many accommodation
                                                     options over the past four                        Current Situation​
   She has experienced extensive                     years, including in transitional
   trauma, including many years                      accommodation, public housing,                    Through ongoing support via
   of domestic violence and she has                  private rentals and various other                 Ruah, Tranby drop-in centre
   complex mix of mental health                      supportive accommodation                          (UnitingWA) and Homeless
   issues and drug use. Other chronic                services. Throughout this time                    Healthcare she has been recently
   health conditions include poorly                  she was periodically supported by                 rehoused via the Department of
   controlled type 2 diabetes and                    the After Hours Support Service                   Communities. Safe and secure
   asthma, both of which have                        (AHSS) to help manage her                         housing remains critical to enable
   worsened considerably over                        medical needs including wound                     Daisy to manage her complex
                                                     care and diabetes management,                     health and social issues.
   her years of rough sleeping.​

   TYPES AND RAPIDITY OF HOUSING PLACEMENTS
   Of the 240 homes that these 170                   can be prohibitive to Aboriginal                  While it took approximately the
   individuals have been housed in;                  peoples, with 78% of all rental                   same amount of time to complete
   Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal                     placements for 50 Lives being for                 someone’s priority listing after
   peoples were just as likely to be                 non-Aboriginal people, however                    completing the 50 Lives application
   housed in Community Housing                       median time-to-rental from                        form (76 days for Aboriginal,
   (21% compared to 20%), they were                  50 Lives application was quicker                  74 days non-Aboriginal), but took
   slightly more likely to be housed in              for Aboriginal placements                         nearly double the time for an
   public housing (61% of placements                 (63 days compared to 91 days).​                   Aboriginal person to be housed after
   compared to 51%) and were less                                                                      being priority listed compared to
   likely to be housed in a private                  Overall, it took nearly two months                a non-Aboriginal person (308 days
   rental (8% compared to 16% of                     longer to house an Aboriginal                     compared to 170 days); this pattern
   placements). Many stakeholders                    person supported by 50 Lives                      was observed for both public and
   noted how the rental market                       (186 days compared to 134 days).                  community housing.

                    76 DAYS                            186 DAYS                           308 DAYS                              31%​
                    (median)                            (median)                           (median)

      to get priority listing after             to be housed after                 to be housed after             of aboriginal people waiting
   50 lives application – compared             50 lives application                  priority listing                for housing are priority
    to 74 days for non-aboriginal              compared to 134 for                compared to 170 for             listed – compared to 36% for
     (for those who were priority                 non-Aboriginal ​                   non-Aboriginal ​             non-aboriginal (of those not
            listed after app) ​                                                                                       exited and not housed) ​

   Due to the wide range in time-to-house for this group, the medians have been presented instead of averages.​

08 | ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST
CHALLENGES TO ACCESSING RAPID AND APPROPRIATE HOUSING
A dual focus of the Housing First        obstacle state-wide to ending              more broadly. While many of
ethos is to provide rapid housing        homelessness, that is, the extensive       the obstacles to rapid housing
and wrap-around support to               waitlist for public housing properties     are shared across all 50 Lives
individuals without precondition.        in WA. Public Housing waitlist data        participants, there are a number
As identified in the Third Evaluation    to the end of 2019 showed that even        of additional challenges and
Report9, there are a range of            on the priority waitlist, the ‘time to     considerations that have been
challenges in WA to actually             house’ on average is 1.3 years for a       identified by organisations working
achieving rapid housing. The main        one-bedroom property, which is the         at the coalface with Aboriginal
barrier for 50 Lives participants        type of housing in highest demand          people experiencing homelessness
to rapid housing mirrors the larger      among 50 Lives participants and            in Perth; these are discussed below.

                  POLICY &                                SUITABILITY                                  CULTURAL
                BUREAUCRACY                               OF HOUSING                              APPROPRIATENESS OF
                 CHALLENGES​                               OPTIONS                                 HOUSING PROVIDERS

POLICY AND BUREAUCRATIC CHALLENGES TO RAPID HOUSING
It is recognised that policies and       have to have a co-applicant listed;        the “Transfer Policy” you cannot
criteria need to underpin the social     the challenge with this being the          have had a breach in the year prior,
housing allocation mechanisms            long delays for the waitlist meaning       which poses challenges if the
of any government. Learnings             that the situation between the two         tenant was not the source of the
from 50 Lives however suggest            applicants may have changed by the         breach (i.e. visitors, disruptive
that the standard policies and           time a property becomes available.​        neighbours or family feuding). ​
requirements relating to public
housing in WA pose some additional       Further Assistance Reviews
challenges for people who homeless       Under the “Allocations Policy”              “You have to be empathetic in
and Aboriginal. ​                                                                     a lot of cases, and you have
                                         it states that a tenant may be
                                                                                      to be able to make decisions
Size of Home Eligible for                required to wait longer than usual           that are not about a policy or
                                         for assistance or that specific              document that says it can only
Under the “Allocations Policy” of        conditions may be applied to their           be – you can’t say if someone
the Department of Communities            tenancy (i.e. liquor restricted) if they     calls up “well my policy says
Rental Manual11, accommodation           had substantial previous tenancy             this and because of this you
size is dependent on individual          breaches. Anecdotally stakeholders           have a strike and you’re out” –
circumstance at the time, it has         suggested that these reviews are             its almost like the policies and
guidelines on the need for cultural                                                   procedures cause them to treat
                                         contributing to longer time taken to
considerations around providing                                                       people as numbers and not as
                                         house Aboriginal tenants in 50 Lives.        individuals and that’s where
irregular care to family and the         While we only have FAR records for
need for bigger properties. However,                                                  we are a little bit different … the
                                         12 people, the overwhelming majority         way the tenancies are managed
stakeholders gave multiple examples      (83%) were for Aboriginal tenants.​          are totally different… its more
of ineligibility due to children or                                                   culturally appropriate“
grandchildren not being specifically     Ability to Transfer
listed on their Centrelink etc. ​                                                    – Aboriginal Property Manager
                                         The ability to transfer to a more
Beyond caring obligations, to be         suitable home is often impeded
eligible for a larger property e.g. to   by policies that deem someone
allow visitors to stay, individuals      ineligible. For example, under

                                                                                                   EVALUATION SNAPSHOT |    09
SUITABILITY OF HOUSING OPTIONS
   House Size, Reunification               Overall, 39% of Aboriginal tenancy      and the need to avoid areas where
   and Visitors                            exits were due to eviction,             there may be family feuding
                                           compared to 34% of non-Aboriginal       that could put their tenancies
   Additional rooms are fundamental
                                           exits. As demonstrated throughout       in danger/at risk.​
   in enabling family to stay, or for
                                           case studies, many people were
   reunification to occur. Strong          unable to let family stay due to        Design
   kinship relations and pressures         fear of losing their homes. This        Housing is typically designed for
   to accommodate extended family          often led to deep feelings of sadness   western families and is at odds
   members who are homeless can            and increased loneliness, and in        with Aboriginal obligations to
   lead to overcrowding. Which can         some instances the eventual             accommodate extended families.12
   contribute to risks of tenancy          abandonment of properties to be         As noted above Aboriginal tenants
   eviction and homelessness, e.g.         closer to family either in someone      supported in 50 Lives need homes
   increased chance of family and          else’s tenancies or on the streets. ​   that can accommodate family
   domestic violence, property                                                     therefore more culturally appropriate
   damage, and antisocial behaviour.       Location
                                                                                   housing that is affordable, safe
   As observed in 50 Lives and by its      Housing location is critical for the    and secure is critical to address
   stakeholders, if there are cumulative   Aboriginal people supported through     this. In a study by Shelter SA,
   evictions within a family group         50 Lives for a multitude of reasons     60% of respondents indicated
   these can create a “domino effect”      e.g. proximity to other family          that private rentals were not
   in which multiple generations can       members and healing areas (such         culturally appropriate for them
   end up homeless all at the same time.   as those situated on the Swan River)    or their families.​

   CULTURAL APPROPRIATENESS OF HOUSING PROVIDERS
   Throughout discussions with             This includes the provision of
   individuals supported by 50 Lives       housing supply and services              “I’m actually going to do the
   and their lead workers, feelings        managed by Aboriginal Community           inspections for those particular
   of judgement where often noted          Controlled Organisations.” 13 ​           people… I went out there to meet
   when non-Aboriginal landlords                                                     them – to introduce myself
                                           Additionally, Shelter SA                  and just find some connection
   came into their homes for property
                                           recommends mandatory                      with them, which I did through
   inspections. Per recommendation
                                           cultural training for all property        family, friends and so. And they
   4 of the joint Shelter WA and
                                           managers to ensure they                   were actually looking forward
   WA Alliance submission to the                                                     for me to come and inspect their
                                           understand cultural differences
   Federal Parliamentary Inquiry                                                     property to show us that they
                                           and how to challenge negative
   on Homelessness “services for                                                     can live, they’re doing well.
                                           cultural stereotypes.12​
   Aboriginal and Torres Strait                                                      So it’s just things like that that
   Islander people must be culturally                                                make a difference…. you have
   informed and culturally led…                                                      to build a relationship with
                                                                                     them where they trust you.” ​
                                                                                    – Noongar Mia Mia​

010 | ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST
IMPLICATIONS FOR HOUSING FIRST IN
AN ABORIGINAL CONTEXT
The findings and recommendations        mainstream services and staff           indicating that there is an urgent
presented in this snapshot provide      embed cultural safety, trauma           need for culturally sensitive
an overview of some of the key          informed practice and the building      approaches to ending Indigenous
successes and challenges for            of trusting relationships of mutual     homelessness. The Wongee Mia
Aboriginal peoples in the Australian    respect. This may mean that             project is one such way to Indigenise
Housing First context. These should     non-Aboriginal workers need to          Housing First to an Australian
be considered in the adaptation of an   also work with family Elders in         context whereby it takes a self-
Aboriginal Housing First model that     addition to their clients to have a     determination model to address
is due to be developed in 2021 led by   more holistic understanding of the      family homelessness (which is a
Noongar Mia Mia in conjunction with     ongoing challenges that Aboriginal      fundamental freedom as outlined
the WA ACCO’s and sponsored by the      peoples face today.​                    by the United Nations Declaration
WA Alliance to End Homelessness.​                                               of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
                                        Additional ways to strengthen the       (UNDRIP)). There are many other
As shown in the recently published      Aboriginal Housing First approach       Aboriginal families supported via
paper on Wongee Mia10 and in the        in WA include the need for:​            50 Lives (now the Zero Project),
literature more broadly, different
                                        –	More Aboriginal support              that this type of framework could
approaches to Aboriginal housing
                                           services/workers to help people      be appropriate to expand to.​
are needed that are both driven by
and are responsive to the needs            maintain their tenancies and
of Aboriginal people themselves.           provide culturally appropriate
Flexible models of support and             support;​                             “…I’m feeling a little
housing are needed to account for                                                 apprehensive in that area
                                        –	Larger housing options to              because there’s racism around
changing circumstances (such as            allow people to accommodate            Fremantle. They just broadcast
the need to care for grandkids),           extended families;​                    their racism openly in their
family responsibilities and cultural                                              front yards. I grew up here, this
                                        –	More housing provided via
security. Self-determination and                                                  is my home, and the strong
                                           Aboriginal Community Controlled
choice are paramount, along                                                       community support is what it’s
                                           Organisations (ACCO) and where
with non-punitive support that                                                    all about, normally. We’re all
                                           not possible, cultural competency      in together as one. Until I saw
enables people to flourish within
their tenancies.​                          training of other HSO’s in the         that flag and was threatened
                                           importance of family and the           to be lynched.” ​
As raised by stakeholders, lead            kinship obligations around
                                                                                 – Aboriginal Female,​50 Lives
workers and Aboriginal 50 Lives            needing to house family when
participants themselves, there is a        they also become homeless;​
critical need for more Aboriginal       –	Expand programs of support
support workers and Aboriginal              such as Wongee Mia to other
housing providers in future Housing         suitable families to overcome
First iterations in WA. Reflecting          large-scale family homelessness.​
different understanding of their
needs and can reduce feelings of        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
“being shamed” by non-Aboriginal        peoples remain disproportionately
workers. Where its not possible to      affected by homelessness
have specific Aboriginal workers        compared to their non-Aboriginal
involved, it is imperative that         counterparts, with the evidence

                                                                                              EVALUATION SNAPSHOT |     011
REFERENCES
   1.	Department of Communities. All Paths Lead to a Home. Western Australia’s 10-Year Strategy on Homelessness 2020-2030: Department
       of Communities, Government of Western Australia, 2020.​
   2.	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness.
       Canberra: AIHW; 2019.​
   3.	Memmott, P.; Nash, D. Chapter 10: Indigenous Homelessness: Australian Context. In Indigenous Homelessness: Perspectives from
       Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; Peters, E.J., Christensen, J., Eds.; University of Manitoba Press: Winnipeg, MB, Canada,
       2016; pp. 213–220.​
   4.	Atkinson, J. Trauma Trails, Recreating Song Lines: The Transgenerational Effects of Trauma in Indigenous Australia; Spinifex Press:
       Melbourne, Australia, 2002.​
   5.	Bodor DR, Chewka D, Smith-Windsor M, Conley S, Pereira N. Perspectives on the housing first program with indigenous participants.​
   6.	Lawson-Te Aho K, Fariu-Ariki P, Ombler J, Aspinall C, Howden-Chapman P, Pierse N. A principles framework for taking action on
       Māori/Indigenous Homelessness in Aotearoa/New Zealand. SSM-population health. 2019 Aug 1;8:100450.​
   7.	Distasio J, Zell S, McCullough S, Edel B. Localized Approaches to Ending Homelessness: Indigenizing Housing First. Winnipeg: Institute
       of Urban Studies; 2019.​
   8.	Independent Hospital Pricing Authority. National Hospital Cost Data Collection, Public Hospitals Cost Report Round 22 (Financial year
       2017-2018), 2020. ​
   9.	Vallesi S, Wood L, Gazey A, Cumming C, Zaretzky K, Irwin E. 50 Lives 50 Homes: A Housing First Response to Ending Homelessness
       in Perth. Third Evaluation Report. Perth, Western Australia: Centre for Social Impact and the School of Population and Global Health:
       University of Western Australia, 2020.​
   10.	Vallesi S, Tighe E, Bropho H, Potangaroa M, Watkins L. Wongee Mia: An Innovative Family-Centred Approach to Addressing
        Aboriginal Housing Needs and Preventing Eviction in Australia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
        2020 Jan;17(15):5501.​
   11.	Government of Western Australia. Housing Authority Rental Policy Manual. July 2020.​
   12.	Shelter SA. “I am tired of being treated like a second-class citizen!” Racial Discrimination in the Private Rental Market. May 2019.​
   13.	Shelter WA, WA Alliance to End Homelessness. House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs.
        Inquiry into homelessness in Australia. Joint Submission. April 2020.​

012 | ABORIGINAL EXPERIENCES OF HOUSING FIRST
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