Janelle Goulding, CEO of not-for-profit organisation City West Housing, discusses the state of homelessness in Sydney, and what’s to be done about it.

Homelessness in Australia is increasing at an exponential rate and the availability of affordable housing is a huge issue in Sydney, which is only going to get worse. In fact, it’s one of the biggest issues facing Australians; with many people being forced out of employment areas to live huge distances away from where they work. Just in the City of Sydney LGA in February 2015, the count of people who were homeless was 847.

With over 30 years’ experience in the private and public residential housing property sectors, Janelle and her City West team of 16, has built over 650 homes in the Pyrmont, Ultimo, Green Square and Eveleigh
suburbs of Sydney, providing affordable housing for over 1500 people on low income, with plans to develop another 400 dwellings over the next three years.

Janelle has always broken down stereotypes. With housing traditionally being seen as a ‘man’s world’, she has managed to succeed at the highest level; in fact, Janelle was the first ever female GM of an Australian
building company (AV Jennings Homes) which made media headlines in 2001.

Janelle has a passion for housing and design and the effects it has on how people live and believes that affordable housing should refer to rent and not low cost or inferior quality accommodation.

She also has a special interest in homelessness, women’s housing and welfare issues, being named as a recipient in the International Women’s Day Honour Roll in 2013 for services to women and for working with
disadvantaged people. Janelle is also an advocate for the provision of more transitional housing to assist victims of violence and abuse and is in the process of launching a new campaign to raise awareness of violence in our society.

City West Housing was set up to keep social diversity in the inner city area; with many tenants being part of the essential services network for the CBD and surrounding areas including local police officers, teachers, shift workers, child care and aged care workers.