Footscray Community Response

We oppose policing, security and enforcement-based approaches to the symptoms of inequality and government failures.

Social and health issues in Footscray need social and health responses. We want to build a Footscray of care, solidarity and friendship.

19/06/2026

Thanks MP for raising your voice to Save Foley House!

This adjournment means the Housing Minister has 30 days to provide the community with answers about what, if anything, the government is doing to keep this vital service operating. But don’t hold your breath… they often give more pointless non-answers.

But this campaign is not going away! Concern is growing, and so are numbers on our petition (link in bio and https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation).

17/06/2026

Be careful in Footscray this Friday, friends. Police have the power to “randomly” stop and search anyone in the area, using force.

Let’s support our unhoused friends, who are likely to be targeted - Footscray Community Response and Footscray Mall Friends will be down in the mall, feel free to join us to support our over-policed neighbours.

A recent designated area declaration in the CBD was found to have been unlawful by the Federal Court. Designated area declarations are an overreach, breach civil liberties and are potentially unlawful. Get legal advice if you are charged as a result of anything found on you, or if you’re unhappy with how police treat you.

⚠️ Declaration of Designated Area - Control of Weapons Act : Footscray Business District

2pm-11pm Friday 19 June 2026

The area that is declared to be a designated area is all public places within the Footscray Business District inclusive of the associated public transport facilities and Footscray Railway Station.

Police officers and protective services officers (PSOs) are empowered to stop and search a person and anything in the possession or control of the person, or a vehicle, for weapons under the Act.

This may include:
- a search via electronic device
- a search of the contents of pockets/bags
- an outer search, or
- a strip search.

Police officers may also require a person who is subject to a strip search to disclose their identity.

- https://www.police.vic.gov.au/public-notice-footscray-business-district-friday-19-june-2026

17/06/2026

Thank you to Gabrielle de Vietri for raising the crucial issue of The Salvation Army Australia’s closure of Foley House in Footscray in Parliament today. The silence from Labor MPs Nick Staikos MP, Lizzie Blandthorn, Jacinta Allan & Katie Hall MP, who have the power to immediately rectify this, has been deafening. The community demands a solution that keeps these men housed and builds more supported housing!

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1JPJ3qcPku/

Photos from Footscray Community Response's post

17/06/2026

Thank you to everyone who came along to the Save Foley House rally on Sunday. And to everyone supporting the campaign.

The campaign is building: there have been calls for action in Parliament today! We look forward to a commitment to save this vital and rare service from closure - looking at you &

Please sign the petition if you haven’t yet: link in bio or https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation

Thanks to for these beautiful photos.

If you want to hear more about how you can help, we’ll be at the Winter Wildfire event tomorrow - come say hi at Birrarung Marr from 7pm.

15/06/2026

We call on Victorian Labor to step in immediately and take up management of Foley House.

The The Salvation Army Australia proves time and again that it is not a trustworthy provider of housing to our state's most vulnerable people. This latest disaster is just the latest in a long line of rather questionable practises employed by government's go-to religious, homelessness charity.

People's lives should not be at the mercy of these kind of dubious, for-profit decisions. The Victorian public deserves better, not to mention the residents of Foley House.

Where does our taxes and donation dollars go, Salvo's?..

Labor MP for Footscray, self-described 'endlessly proud inner Westie', Parliamentary Secretary for Homes Katie Hall MP

Western Metro Region MP Lizzie Blandthorn

Thanks to community who showed up to this important speak out.

Thanks to Simon RAHU - Renters And Housing Union along with Terri and Maree from Footscray Community Response

See you at WINTER WILDFIRE
Federation Bells - Birrarung Marr
An alternative community event to the Vinnie's CEO Sleepout
Thursday June 18
7pm - 8pm

14/06/2026

The community has lost faith in the Salvo’s. We want to know why does their $1.3 billion in annual income, including $500 million in annual government grants, not stretch to continue caring for the Foley House residents?

We want to know: why are the Salvo’s spending more money on their Op Shops (which are supposed to generate income) than on housing and homelessness services?

We also noticed Katie Hall MP was not at the rally today, despite being invited to hear first-hand the impact this closure is having. We urge Katie Hall and the state Labor government to urgently find the money to keep Foley House running - whether by the Salvo’s of preferably a more reliable not-for-profit.

Sign the petition to keep Foley House open and to seek answers (link in bio and https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation). Help us get to 1,000 signatures!

This campaign will continue until the Foley House residents get a sustainable solution to keep them in the forever homes they were promised.

cityofmaribyrnong

14/06/2026

We will keep fighting until the community gets a commitment Foley House will stay open. Stop the transfers out and allow people already transferred to return. Foley House forever.

Sign the petition (link in bio and https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation). Help us get to 1,000 signatures!

This campaign will continue until the Foley House residents get a sustainable solution to keep them in their homes.

cityofmaribyrnong

14/06/2026

Join the campaign to keep Foley House open! We need more Foley Houses, not less! And we need more public housing, not its destruction.

Sign the petition (link in bio and https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation). Help us get to 1,000 signatures!

This campaign will continue until the Foley House residents get a sustainable solution to keep them in their homes.

cityofmaribyrnong

14/06/2026

Around 80 people rallied to Save Foley House today.

Residents were promised ‘forever homes’ and now they’re being abandoned.

We want housing justice now: save Foley House, stop transferring residents out, we need more Foley Houses.

We want transparency from the Salvo’s - why, with their $1.3 billion of annual income are they abandoning the Foley House residents?

We want the state Labor government to step in and keep Foley House operating.

Sign the petition (link in bio and https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation). Help us get to 1,000 signatures!

This campaign will continue until the Foley House residents get a sustainable solution to keep them in their homes.

cityofmaribyrnong

12/06/2026

The campaign to keep Foley House open is building!

Join us at the rally this Sunday at 11am at Katie Hall MP’s office, 204 Nicholson St Footscray. We’ll hear from a former Foley House resident, workers from the sector, people currently sleeping rough in Footscray, and the Homeless Persons Union.

Please also sign and share the petition to keep building pressure so Labor is forced to keep Foley House open and shame the Salvo’s for their neoliberal approach to people whose lives depend on their support. Link in bio or https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-foley-house-supported-accommodation

We look forward to seeing you there!

cityofmaribyrnong