In March 2024, the City of Merri-bek, in partnership with Launch Housing, proudly launched Merri-bek Zero. This new initiative takes a place-based collective impact approach to significantly reduce rough sleeping within the local community by connecting directly with individuals and enrolling them onto the local ‘By Name List’ (BNL). This allows for a tailored, client-centred service response.
Collaboration at the Core
Merri-bek Zero is spearheaded by VincentCare and the Merri-bek Council, with essential support from local service organisations including Merri Outreach Support Service, Hope Street Youth Refuge, Bolton Clark HPP, and Launch Housing. These partnerships enable effective service coordination essential for the project’s growth and success.
Project Goals
The goal of Merri-bek Zero is to achieve Functional Zero homelessness. Functional Zero is reached when the number of people experiencing rough sleeping within a month is fewer than those placed into long-term housing. Our aim is to ensure that any incidence of homelessness is brief, rare, and non-recurring, facilitated by adequate and efficiently coordinated housing and support resources.
Continuous Improvement
Merri-bek Zero is committed to continuous improvement, underscored by a year-long Data Governance project enhancing our capabilities in data handling and privacy, in compliance with the latest guidelines from the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner.
How are we going?
Sleeping rough and actively homeless
Actively homeless and changes in living situations