By Lev Burke
RMIT journalism intern
Advocacy group LeadWest says outreach services for the homeless are struggling to keep up with growing demand. New data from the group shows the homeless rate in Melbourne’s west is approximately 50 percent higher than that of the national average.
LeadWest is an advocacy alliance between the Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton and Wyndham municipalities. Its data shows 15,025 people sought homelessness assistance in 2024-25.
Analysis of the data found that the region’s rapid population growth, lack of affordable housing, and unmet demand for social housing has exacerbated the pressure on homeless services which are already overextended and underfunded.
LeadWest Chair and Maribynong City Councillor, Susan Yengi says local councils are having to take the lead in managing homelessness in the West, in spite of not having dedicated funding to manage the issue.
“Councils are increasingly becoming frontline responders, helping people experiencing homelessness in parks, libraries, community centres and public spaces, despite not being funded or formally recognised for this role,” she said in a media release.
“Melbourne’s west is now recording the highest demand for homelessness services in Australia. That should be a wake-up call for governments at every level.”
LeadWest has called on the state government to provide more support for communities in Melbourne’s west.
The organisation listed the following requests:
- Increased investment in public and community housing appropriate to local needs to boost housing supply and create sustainable pathways out of homelessness.
- Funding assertive outreach services across all municipalities in Melbourne’s west to better support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
- Supporting integrated local service coordination across housing, health, mental health, alcohol and other drug, and family violence systems.
- Investing in improved local homelessness data to better understand need, inform planning and support evidence-based responses.
Peter McGrath, the Salvation Army’s Homelessness State Manager Victoria, shares a similar sentiment. “With the demand in our entry point services, we are finding that we are having to turn away more people because we don’t have the resources to assist,” says McGrath.
McGrath says the government must continue to invest in affordable social and community housing and agrees that local community and specialised services need to work collaboratively in order to best help those in need.
“Obviously we are a homelessness service and we will work with people who may have a mental health issue,” he says. “But what we want to do is make sure that we can openly work together with health services and with council services so we all bring and invest each of our resources so we can create a real holistic solution.”
Data from Australian demography company, Informed Decisions shows that the population in Melbourne’s west reached one million in 2026 and is forecast to reach 1.5 million, putting more strain on the housing market and homelessness services.
ABS data shows that Victoria has the highest rate of people seeking homelessness services in the nation, with Melbourne’s west having the highest. Just under 5,000 people are known to be homeless with another 9,000 at risk of homelessness in the West. Only around two percent of those experiencing homelessness sleep rough, meaning most homelessness tends to be invisible.
With the upcoming state election, it will be important that those seeking a spot in parliament have a plan to address the growing issue of homelessness through funding of services and housing affordability and supply.
