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Concerns as men’s homeless shelter closes for summer

St Columba's Uniting Church accommodated almost 100 men during the harsh Canberra winter.

St Columba's Uniting Church accommodated almost 100 men during the harsh Canberra winter.

A men’s homeless shelter in Canberra has closed for the summer amid concerns over the need for a permanent service.

St Columba’s Uniting Church in Braddon has allowed homeless men to sleep on the floor of its hall between April and October this year.

The volunteer-run walk-in service was part of the Safe Shelter project.

Spokeswoman for the shelter Alice Ferguson said 99 men were accommodated by the service which was well used by welfare agencies.

“It’s a demand which is being met by a very simple solution,” she said.

“I feel that the solution that we are providing at the shelter is a band-aid, is a stop gap, is something that can’t be seen as a permanent solution. We need something more.”

Ms Ferguson said the shelter highlighted the need for a service which did not require a referral.

“We need more beds for men to sleep in, in an emergency,” she said.

“If someone is discharged from hospital, very, very late at night, they can’t get into a hotel, they haven’t got money for a hotel, and they can’t get the bus back to Sydney.”

It is the latest concern in the effort to accommodate Canberra’s homeless population.

In August welfare agencies warned an increasing number of women in Canberra were at risk of becoming homeless.

Earlier in the year it was revealed the ACT’s housing support service was giving advice to homeless people as they waited to access emergency accommodation.

Homeless people were being advised to bunk down near fast food outlets or petrol stations to stay safe.

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