Department of Communities has provided $5.6 million, including a recent funding provision of $900,000 in 2024, for Advance to Zero project, including the By-Name List, to date.
This international recognition highlights the transformative work being done across Australia - including five communities across WA - to end homelessness, starting with rough sleeping.
The World Habitat Awards celebrate innovative, sustainable solutions that improve lives globally. The Advance to Zero initiative was selected as one of nine winners out of 111 applicants, showcasing its impact.
Western Australia has seen remarkable achievements through the Advance to Zero initiative, with communities demonstrating measurable progress at key points in time, including:
- In September 2023, Mandurah became the second Australian city to be formally recognised for its significant progress in reducing rough sleeping. Over six consecutive months, the community demonstrated a critical step towards ending homelessness by achieving sustained reductions in the number of people sleeping rough;
- In May 2023, Geraldton became the first WA community to record zero people over the age of 55 sleeping rough; and
- By December 2023, Geraldton achieved another major success, becoming the third Australian community to record a measurable reduction in street homelessness.
Since the commencement of the Advance to Zero initiative in WA, and through collective efforts, 1,858 people have been placed into permanent housing, showcasing the power of collaboration and the impact this approach has in tackling homelessness. The communities involved with AtoZ in WA are Perth, Mandurah, Rockingham, Bunbury and Geraldton.
Read the media statement.
