Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd launched plans yesterday to halve homelessness in the country by 2020.

The government will inject USD 820 million over four years to provide new support services for homeless people and build social housing to both prevent homelessness and break the cycle.

Rudd outlined plans to build up to 2,700 new public and community houses for people at risk of homelessness.

There are currently some 105,000 homeless Australians, with an estimated 16,000 people living on the street.

Many homeless people find temporary accommodation with family and friends, or spend the night at dormitories or in refuge housing.

Rudd said this was a "once in a generation opportunity" to address the issue of homelessness, adding that a country such as Australia should not have this "large" and "longstanding" problem.

Source : PTI