HOMELESS people in Mt Druitt and Penrith could benefit from a bipartisan, federal-state funded emergency program.
Federal Assistant Treasurer and Lindsay MP David Bradbury, NSW Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward and Penrith MP Stuart Ayres officially launched the scheme in Penrith late last year.
The Rapid Rehousing program is targeting Mt Druitt and Penrith because both regions have high numbers of people who repeatedly seek temporary, emergency accommodation.
"People repeatedly using temporary accommodation will only keep themselves in the cycle of homelessness," St Vincent de Paul Society's chief executive Michael Perusco said.
"Temporary accommodation is largely focused on crisis situations instead of the underlying causes of homelessness."
The society is administering the scheme in Mt Druitt and Penrith.
Mr Perusco said part of the funding was paid only if clients stayed in their accommodation for a certain period.
This would encourage service providers to stay with clients for longer, helping them to find permanent accommodation.
Ms Goward said the program recognised that many homeless people had complex lives.
"In this area alone, 138 clients have used temporary accommodation five times in one year," the minister said.