The Adelaide Zero Project

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The Adelaide Zero Project

The Adelaide Zero Project (AZP) was launched in 2018. With support from the City of Adelaide and SA Housing Authority, Adelaide became the first Australian community to use the Advance to Zero methodology to count down to the goal of ending homelessness.

Guided by the ground-breaking work of our North American counterparts, the Adelaide Zero Project has established a By-Name List (BNL) that provides real-time data on the number and needs of individuals experiencing rough sleeping homelessness in Adelaide’s inner city. The BNL data is currently reflected in monthly updates to the Adelaide Zero Project Dashboard, through which we track our progress towards Functional Zero.

Functional Zero is a dynamic way of determining if a community has been able to make homelessness a rare, brief, and a one-time occurrence. Functional Zero street homelessness is achieved for a geographical area when the number of individuals sleeping rough in that area is less than the available housing for that month. This evidence-based approach is fundamental to our work and we are dedicated in our commitment to showing our progress through data. More information about Functional Zero can be found here.

The AZP is an example of collective impact and collaboration. The project has, and continues to, bring together a diverse range of stakeholders from the public, private, community, and university sectors, all united in the commitment to achieving Functional Zero homelessness in inner-city Adelaide through this transformative initiative.

The Adelaide Zero Project aims to reach Functional Zero for people who are either:

  • currently sleeping rough; or
  • were sleeping rough, but are now temporarily sheltered.

Our ultimate goal is to end rough sleeping homelessness in the inner city of Adelaide by 2025, making a lasting and positive impact on the lives of those affected by homelessness.

Together, we can create a future where street homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring.