A long-term residential facility in Melbourne’s inner-west will begin the process of shutting down, raising concerns about the future of dozens of vulnerable men living there.
Foley House has provided beds for homeless men, those with disabilities and acquired brain injuries and other complex health needs since 2013.
The Salvation Army, which runs the Footscray facility, said the site was no longer sustainable and that it would start moving residents to other affordable accommodation from this week.
Residents will soon begin being moved out of Foley House. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
“Specialised services have emerged and are better equipped to provide support for homeless men with complex needs,” a Salvation Army spokesperson said.
The decision has drawn the ire of the local community, who said social housing alternatives would not meet the diverse needs of residents.
“The residents in Foley House need secure, ongoing housing. But they need more than just that, they also need intensive support to ensure their safety and wellbeing,” Shifrah Blustein from Footscray Community Response said.
The grassroots group was formed to advocate on local health and social issues.
“There are many more people needing this level of care than there are places in those facilities,” Ms Blustein said.
Shifrah Blustein says the residents need secure, ongoing housing. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
The site provides single and shared accommodation options, meals, and support for up to 58 men at a time and was designed to replace rooming houses with 24-hour care.
Over time, the Salvation Army said it had become “disability-like accommodation without access to any form of accommodation funding other than the Salvation Army itself”.
However, Ms Blustein said the closure was at odds with the promise of a forever home given to residents when they secured their place at the facility.
“These are some of the most marginalised men in our community,”
Ms Blustein said.
Footscray Community Response has written to the Salvation Army and several state government MPs to stop the closure and look at alternative funding models.
An online petition calling for the decision to be overturned has also received over 1,500 signatures.
“This is happening while we are in a severe housing crisis, where more people need these services, not less,” Ms Blustein said.
An uncertain future
The Salvation Army said the facility’s closure would be staggered and depend on how soon those living there could be rehoused.
“There is a dignified and orderly process that will end when the final Foley resident has been matched with safe, suitable and affordable accommodation,” a Salvation Army spokesperson said.
“We will not provide a countdown of residents’ departure.”
It is unclear how many staff work at the facility, but the ABC understands some are on casual contracts.
One worker at the facility, who did not wish to be named, said the idea of Foley House had been “a good one”.
“The residents would have reasonable care ratios and enough support and care to meet their needs and live their best life,” they said.
The state government says it will continue funding the service until December. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
The worker said the facility looked after men with complicated histories of trauma, but had run at a loss for some time.
“These men would otherwise be in and out of crisis accommodation, hospital or jail — or be homeless,”
they said.
“Many have brain injuries or serious mental health diagnoses requiring intensive support and medication management.”
The employee said they were aware of discussions between the Salvation Army and the state government about long-term funding arrangements, which hadn’t gathered pace.
A Salvation Army spokesperson did not directly address whether those meetings had taken place.
The state government said it would continue funding the service until December to support residents during the transition process.
“[We are] working closely with the Salvation Army to make sure no-one faces homelessness,” a government spokesperson said.
“The decision to close Foley House was one made independently by The Salvation Army following its own organisational review.”
More support needed, community group says
Footscray Community Response’s Shifrah Blustein said the number of residential care facilities and social housing places across the state did not meet demand.
“We’re witnessing the systemic destruction of public and supportive housing throughout Victoria and it’s devastating lives,” she said.
Footscray Community Response says the loss of public and supportive housing will have huge cost implications down the track. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
“It’s going to have huge cost implications down the track to clean up the mess that is caused by all of these people losing their housing.”
This year’s state budget included $47 million for homelessness assistance, along with a commitment of 7,000 social homes over the next decade.
According to the Council to Homeless Persons, the peak body for the homelessness sector, more than 100,000 Victorians will come into homelessness support programs this year.
“We understand the factors underlying the Salvation Army’s decision to close Foley House are unique to that project and have no connection with wider sector dynamics,” the council’s chief executive Deb Di Natale said.
Deb Di Natale, the CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons. (Supplied)
The Salvation Army’s most recent annual report showed 15 per cent of its budget went to housing and homelessness services last financial year.
The charity said nearly 3,000 people who were at risk of homelessness had been provided with housing last year.
