Funding Needed Now for Rough Sleeping Crisis in Byron Shire, Says Mayor
Byron Shire Mayor Michael Lyon is urgently calling on state and federal governments to provide much-needed funding for housing and homelessness services for rough sleeping in Byron Shire. Mayor Lyon expressed his distress upon learning that Byron Shire has topped the 2024 NSW Street Count for rough sleepers for the second consecutive year.
“We now have 17 percent of the entire state count here in Byron Shire, which is beyond devastating,” the Mayor stated. “Funding for homelessness services and vital social housing is relatively high in Sydney, while local funding is shockingly inadequate to meet our needs.”
Although the recent NSW Government investment in a 12-month pilot of a Byron Shire Assertive Outreach program is a positive step, Mayor Lyon emphasized that it falls short of what is needed. “One year is not going to be anywhere near enough to help get our most vulnerable community members into secure housing, especially when it is not accompanied by housing pathways,” he explained.
Mayor Lyon is advocating for a five-year funding commitment, similar to those announced by the NSW Government for other services, to address the acute regional inequity. “We clearly have the most need, and the regional inequity is beyond comprehension,” he said.
Adequate housing, including social housing, is essential to support individuals transitioning out of homelessness. Social housing provides government-subsidised, long-term rentals for people on very low incomes who cannot afford housing in the general market. “Despite having more rough sleepers than the City of Sydney, we have less than 5 percent of the amount of social housing available – this cannot continue,” Mayor Lyon noted.
“Without these essential pieces of the puzzle, we’re all working with our hands tied behind our backs,” he added. Mayor Lyon highlighted that Sydney’s stabilizing and, at times, reducing rough sleeping levels are a direct result of investments in housing and services. “Our local community members deserve the same right to be housed, with the support they need to live with dignity,” he asserted.
The 2024 Byron Shire Street Count recorded a significant increase in rough sleepers from previous years, with 300 people in 2023, 138 in 2022, and 198 in 2021. The 2022 count did not include Brunswick Heads or Mullumbimby due to extreme weather conditions.
The street count, conducted in collaboration with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, took place in the early hours of February 29 and March 1, 2024. It covered areas including Byron Bay, Belongil, Suffolk Park, Brunswick Heads, Mullumbimby, and Ocean Shores, excluding holidaymakers and temporary vehicle sleepers.
For more information on Council’s actions to support people experiencing homelessness, visit the Council’s website.
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