The human right to adequate housing was enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.  More recently, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (2015) and the New Urban Agenda (2016) have placed the right to housing at the centre of their objectives to ensure that ‘no-one is left behind’ and that we create ‘cities for all’.

Homelessness has become the clearest expression of inequality and poverty in Australia and the UN goal to eradicate poverty cannot be achieved without eradicating homelessness.

Individuals, local businesses, community groups and government on all levels can contribute to achieving an overall goal of providing permanent, affordable housing and the support that people need to create and keep a home.

Homelessness in Newcastle and the Hunter region is not an intractable problem – it can be solved.

Every business, agency, neighbourhood, and resident, has a stake in preventing homelessness and supporting people who experience homelessness.