09 November 2026
Developed by the Cities of Joondalup and Wanneroo, with input from the Joondalup Wanneroo Ending Homelessness Group (JWEHG), and other key stakeholders, the Regional Homelessness Plan 2026-2031 outlines a coordinated approach focused on prevention, early intervention, service coordination, advocacy and community awareness.
The plan comes as communities across the northern corridor continue to experience the impacts of housing affordability challenges, low rental vacancy rates and rising cost-of-living pressures.
City of Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken said homelessness is a growing and complex issue affecting communities across the region.
According to the 2021 Census, 777 people were identified as experiencing homelessness across the Cities of Wanneroo and Joondalup, including 527 people in Wanneroo and 250 people in Joondalup.
However, homelessness is often underreported and can be difficult to accurately measure, particularly for people experiencing hidden homelessness such as couch surfing, living in overcrowded housing or staying in temporary accommodation.
"Homelessness is a complex issue that affects people in different ways and often remains hidden within the community,” Mayor Aitken said.
"It's important to recognise that homelessness extends beyond rough sleeping. It can include people staying temporarily with family or friends, living in overcrowded housing, sleeping in vehicles, or facing housing insecurity due to financial hardship.
"The growing complexity of homelessness requires coordinated action, and this plan provides a clear roadmap for how we can work together to better support people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness."
The plan outlines a coordinated regional response through prevention, early intervention, service coordination, community awareness and advocacy. It aims to strengthen pathways into housing and support services while supporting government, service providers and the community work together to improve outcomes for people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness.
Key priorities include strengthening homelessness engagement and assessment pathways, improving referral networks, delivering community education initiatives, using regional data to better understand emerging trends and service gaps, and advocating for additional homelessness accommodation and support services in the northern corridor.
The plan also provides a platform for coordinated regional advocacy, supporting ongoing efforts to secure additional homelessness accommodation and support services for Perth's northern corridor.
Joondalup Mayor Daniel Kingston said collaboration was critical to addressing homelessness.
"No single organisation can solve homelessness alone, which is why collaboration is at the heart of this plan,” Mayor Kingston said.
"The plan brings together local governments, service providers and community partners to strengthen pathways into housing and support, improve service coordination, and build a stronger understanding of homelessness across our region.
"By working together, we can better understand local needs, improve access to support and strengthen our collective response to homelessness across the northern corridor."
