Rough sleeping is the most extreme and literal form of homelessness. It includes all kinds of living without access to conventional dwellings such as sleeping in cars, derelict buildings, tents, swags and other types of improvised shelter.

Over the course of a year, many thousands of Victorians find themselves sleeping rough, including on city streets and in parks/gardens, carparks, sporting grounds, bushland areas and coastal reserves. Approximately 8,600 people in these circumstances seek help from government-funded specialist homelessness services.

Rough sleeping is a statewide issue. While it is more visible in Melbourne’s central business district, just as many people are sleeping rough in suburban Melbourne and country Victoria, where it may also be experienced and perceived differently.

This Action Plan provides the framework for the Victorian Government’s response. With the initiatives in this document, aiming to help more Victorians find the safety and security of a home.