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In February 2025, The Salvation Army submitted a response to the New South Wales (NSW) Government’s Homes NSW in relation to the Consultation on the draft NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035 (the Strategy).

Overall, The Salvation Army welcomed the NSW Government’s acknowledging the breadth and depth of the housing and homelessness crisis, and that the NSW Government was directly engaging in the language, research findings, service delivery experience and lived experience to develop this strategy and to work towards ending homelessness.

Within a context of record investment by the NSW Government in new social and affordable housing, The Salvation Army maintained that the increased rolling investment in this critical infrastructure should be the overwhelming priority of the Strategy and other efforts by the NSW Government. The availability of accessible, affordable housing must serve as a precursor to initiatives that work towards ensuring homelessness in NSW is rare, brief and not repeated.

In this submission, The Salvation Army focused on:

• Key directions of the Strategy;
• Tailoring of approaches for young people, people who have experienced family and domestic violence and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as high-risk groups;
• Risks and opportunities that may determine the ultimate success of failure of the Strategy; and
• Identification of possible evaluation and outcome measures.

The Salvation Army made 32 recommendations for Homes NSW to consider, which reflect advocacy priorities that have been informed by our service delivery experience and the voices of lived experience.

With the right investment (that is commensurate with identified need), system reform, and supporting plans that give detail and accountability to the aspirations and guiding principles of the Strategy, The Salvation Army agreed that homelessness is a solvable problem.

• Learn more about the Inquiry
• Read The Salvation Army Submission