Less than a year after welcoming its first residents, Madden House is giving people with long histories of rough sleeping a permanent home.
As a leading example of contemporary permanent supportive housing, Madden House provides residents with 24‑hour concierge support and continuous care from specialist staff, backed by local services. The three‑storey building includes 26 self‑contained studio apartments, each with its own kitchen and bathroom, offering residents independence, privacy and stability.
St Kilda Community Housing CEO Andrew D’Arcy said traditional housing models rarely meet the need for single‑person homes or support people with long histories of homelessness.
“Across our properties, and particularly at Madden House, we’re developing ambitious and rapid responses for single people with complex needs, and it’s working,” he said.
New St Kilda Community Housing resident ‘Julie’ (not her real name) said accessing permanent housing as a single person was incredibly difficult, particularly after rough sleeping for so long.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how hard it was to secure any kind of housing, especially when you have unmanaged mental health issues,” she said.
“I am looking forward to finally being able to develop discipline and consistency in my life. Especially with my health and fitness, because this is a big component of keeping my complex PTSD in management.
“This is going to be the first time in my life that I am going to experience what long-term, secure, and safe housing really is. With no threat of domestic violence, with no threat of abuse.
“It’s going to be the first time in my life that I am going to be part of a community. I still don’t fully understand what it means to be part of one because I have moved so much.”
Collaborative partnerships between St Kilda Community Housing, Homes Victoria and the City of Port Phillip, and ongoing specialist care from VincentCare Victoria, the Ngwala Willumbong Cooperative have been central to Madden House’s early success.
The Victorian Government and City of Port Phillip fully funded the initiative, which falls outside traditional Government funding mechanisms.
“The value of permanent supportive housing can’t be measured purely on basic financial return, it’s more nuanced than that. Without an alternative and focused approach, people will keep being left behind,” D’Arcy said.
“Madden House demonstrates what can be achieved when permanent housing solutions are designed around people, and it proves that when governments go ‘all‑in’, remain flexible, and we all work together at a local level, we can make a positive impact on people’s lives.”
City of Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin said: “Madden House shows what is possible when all levels of government, housing providers and local services work together with a shared commitment to ending rough sleeping.”
“In less than a year, this initiative has provided permanent homes, practical support and dignity for people who have experienced long-term homelessness, while also contributing to a safer and more connected St Kilda community.”
With improved perceptions of safety and an absence of major incidents, the Madden House initiative continues to earn strong support from residents, the community, frontline services, trader associations and local laws officers. Early results point to improved housing stability and broader wellbeing benefits for residents, while easing demand on justice, health, crisis care and emergency services.
Head of Homeless Services at Sacred Heart Mission Chris Middendorp commended St Kilda Community Housing for “its commitment to housing people sleeping rough in the City of Port Phllip and for creating housing opportunities for people who are so often excluded from other housing options”.
“If you’ve been sleeping rough for years, then a roof over your head isn’t the only thing you need. Madden House understands that perfectly. It’s one of the few places in Australia to combine purpose-built housing with the wraparound support to help people feel safe, live well, and improve other aspects of their lives,” he said.
“It’s a genuine solution to homelessness that’s based on strong partnerships and a real understanding of people’s needs.”
Each Madden House resident was referred through the Port Phillip ‘By Name’ list – a local list of long-term rough sleepers, collectively managed by more than 20 support service providers. The model is replicable, with flexibility for local adaptation, and it complements broader Government reforms designed to strengthen Victoria’s housing system.