Since the Regional Counselling and Mentoring Services began to address the problem of accommodation for homeless men five weeks ago, many community groups and businesses have rallied together, supplying everything from refigerators to spare clothing and food.

“People have been absolutely wonderful and churches have been magnificent with their donations,” RCMS manager Margaret Gordon said.

The five-bed, community-run shelter in Alexander Street has been open every evening since June 22, providing homeless men with somewhere to sleep for the night.

“Since we started we’ve had 63 bed-users and have not had to turn anyone away for disorderly behaviour,” Mrs Gordon said.

“I hope the RCMS shelter has generated awareness and will act as a catalyst for more permanent, homeless men’s accommodation.”

The shelter will remain open until the end of September, when it is hoped government-funded accommodation will be available.

Men’s Resource Centre manager Andrew Markovs is a member of a local steering committee which is currently looking into the need for a permanent centre.

“We don’t have an actual house with an address at the moment, but there will be one and I’m hoping the whole operation could be up and running by Christmas,” Mr Markovs said.

Mr Markovs said the main problem finding homeless men’s accommodation was that it did not fit any existing Albany community group’s criteria.

“It’s likely that a specific agency with a national track record, but with Albany offices, will take it on in the future,” he said.

Last week, the Federal and State governments announced a $135.1m plan to help combat and prevent homelessness in WA.

The National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) aims to reduce overall homelessness by seven per cent, sleeping rough by 25 per cent and indigenous homelessness by 33 per cent by 2013.

The funding will be committed over a four-year period after consultation with the industry to deliver appropriate programs to individual areas.