Memorandum by Southampton City Council
(HOM 05)
Here are the comments of Southampton City Council
in response to the request for evidence for the ODPM's new enquiry
into homelessness:
THE OVERALL
LEVEL AND
THE NATURE
OF NEED
FOR HOUSING
FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE
The need for housing for homeless people remains
high. In Southampton we have seen consistantly high figures for
homeless acceptances (in priority need under Section 183 of the
1996 Housing Act).
| Date | Homeless and in Priority
Need Acceptances
|
| 1998-99 | 570 households |
| 1999-2000 | 663 households |
| 2000-01 | 758 households |
| 2001-02 | 686 households |
| 2002-03 | 756 households |
| 2003-04 | 699 households |
| |
Families with one or more children make up almost two thirds
of the total accepted. Over the periods from 1990 to 2002, the
number of families accepted as in priority need has increased
from 297 referrals in 1990 to 336 in 2002. In addition the city
has high numbers of homeless people who are not eligible for rehousing
assistance under the terms of the Housing Act, this particularly
includes single people. A range of affordable accommodation is
required to meet the needs of homeless people. This includes sufficient
general needs accommodation, but also specialist accommodation.
For example, there is a need to free up hostel accommodation—specialist
provision is needed for older ex rough sleepers with alcohol problems
who require intensive support and high levels of care. This type
of accommodation is high cost in terms of revenue. It is important
that this is recognised within the Supporting People financial
regime. Cuts to these resources have precluded the development
of new projects and often result in across the board cuts for
all services. The further cuts (announced on 31 August 2004) will
lead to reductions in the support offered to vulnerable households.
THE ADEQUACY
OF INVESTMENT
IN HOUSING
FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE AND
THE QUALITY
OF ACCOMMODATION
AVAILABLE FOR
THEM
Further capital funding is required to provide general needs
housing for rent (see note in response to the question on key
workers). In Southampton the Right to Buy is reducing the stock
by about 250 units per year (the majority of properties sold are
houses). Currently in effect the city is not replacing its stock
of affordable rented housing. For example in 2003-04 the city's
affordable housing programme provided 401 new affordable homes
for rent or low cost homeownership in the City, of which only
178 were for rent while 223 were for low cost homeownership. During
this period 267 homes were sold under the Right to Buy.
In 2003-04 in Southampton, 2,228 social housing properties
were available for letting in the city including the council's
own housing stock and RSL properties. Of this figure 599 properties
were used for tenants transferring between properties. 245 were
let to homeless households (compared to 699 homeless acceptances
that year). A range of high quality temporary accommodation is
needed. Much of this already existing in the private rented sector.
The Government should consider providing resources for Private
Sector Leasing schemes managed by local authorities, this would
enable local authorities to tie together work to provide high
quality temporary accommodation for homeless people whilst improving
properties in the private rented sector at the same time. Capital
financing rules currently work against such long term leasing
arrangements.
FACTORS AFFECTING
THE SUCCESSFUL
IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE HOMELESSNESS
ACT 2002
Building partnerships has been absolutely critical to the
successful implementation of the Homelessness Act 2002, for example
to ensure that there are sufficient suitable housing projects
for 16 and 17 year olds and single people suffering domestic violence.
Revenue funding is vital for projects that meet the needs of these
client groups. That is why it is important that Supporting People
budgets remain at their current level and that specific additional
resources are made available to fund new projects. For example
Southampton has been allocated £800k capital funding to develop
a much needed additional women's refuge—revenue funding
is proving more difficult to find.
THE LOCATION
OF PROVISION
FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE RELATIVE
TO WHERE
THEY LIVE
As a city Southampton is a magnet for many homeless and vulnerable
people. In addition many authorities have been encouraged to adopt
zero tolerance policies, which include excluding homeless people
from services unless they have a local connection. It is important
for Government to appreciate the need for greater funding in both
capital and revenue terms for urban areas who often "soak"
up homeless problems. In addition there needs to be a national
view on the question of zero tolerance/local services for local
people issue—this ensure consistency and fairness in terms
of the funding, provision and management of resources.
THE BALANCE
OF PUBLIC
INVESTMENT IN
HOUSING FOR
KEY WORKERS
AND HOMELESS
PEOPLE
Public investment is weighted too far in favour of investment
in housing for key workers. Whilst the council welcomes the provision
of resources for key workers this should not be at the expense
of those who are in acute housing need ie the homeless. Despite
increased central investment—and investment by Southampton
City Council—we are seeing a decline in the number of new
homes to rent. Southampton was allocated £20,300,000 from
the South East Regional Housing Board (via the Housing Corporation)
to housing associations in the City, which will enable the completion
of 582 new affordable homes between 2004-05 and 2007-08. In addition
Southampton City Council has agreed to fund eight new housing
association schemes from the 2004-05 new starts section of the
housing association programme. These funds amount to £3,361,000
(including £914,000 from Section 106 contributions). 2004-05
it is estimated that 478 units will be provided of which 172 will
be for rent and 306 for low cost home ownership. For 2005-06 it
is estimated that 443 units will be provided of which 192 will
be for rent and 251 for low cost home ownership.
Sustainable Communities expects investment nationally for
key workers to total at least £1 billion over the period
2003-04 to 2005-06, with a significant proportion of this expected
in the greater South East area. This has meant that the South
East Regional Housing Board has had to target key workers in order
to achieve national objectives. The RHB are aware that this does
not reflect local priorities (and have advised Ministers accordingly).
In addition, the present rather narrow definition of key workers
understates the range of individuals and groups affected. There
are others who are critical to the sustainability and growth of
local economies. Priority for the homeless within the overall
allocation of social housing.
The supply of affordable housing is scarce and there are
competing pressures for this scarce resource. It is however important
to ensure that communities are balanced so that allocations reflect
a proportion of homeless households but that this is balanced
by applicants from the Housing Register and Transfer lists. It
is also important that homeless people have choice. The Housing
Green Paper signalled a move away from "allocating"
housing to "letting" housing so that potential and existing
tenants can take more of an active role in choosing the place
where they live. Reducing the turnover of properties encourages
community stability and the imaginative use of "lettings"
policies can help to create more mixed communities and in the
long term increase the management of the supply of affordable
housing. Southampton plans to adopt a choice based lettings. Available
property would be advertised on a website, in a free-sheet and
on posters throughout the city. This will be implemented on a
phased basis: a revised points scheme and allocations policy in
autumn 2004 and choice based lettings in February 2005. The council
recognises that special care will need to be taken in respect
of homeless people. (The Code of Guidance to the Homelessness
Act 2002 requires that where authorities adopt an allocations
policy which requires the active participation of applicants in
choosing their accommodation, the level of assistance needed by
those who are likely to have difficulty in making an application
will normally be greater, and housing authorities must provide
for this) and also more vulnerable people (in terms of the prevention
of homelessness). Specific arrangements will be made to enable
a person appointed by the applicant (including housing staff)
to bid on behalf of a vulnerable applicant. Special care is resource
intensive.
WHETHER THE
NON-HOUSING
SERVICES PROVIDED
FOR HOMELESS
PEOPLE ARE
ADEQUATE AND
ARE CO
-ORDINATED WITH
HOUSING PROVISION
In Southampton we provide a range of cross cutting projects,
which are designed to support bricks and mortar solutions. Projects
include:
— Street Homeless Prevention Service (ex-Rough Sleepers
Project) formerly Rough Sleepers Initiative). The team provides
an outreach service to rough sleepers, providing a range of support
to enable people to make and maintain the transition from rough
sleeping to settled accommodation. The team works to prevent single
people's homelessness or rough sleeping from reoccurring.
— Accommodation Service (Two Saints)—based
in a day centre, this service is targeted at Rough Sleepers and
supports the work of the Street Homelessness Prevention Service
in securing accommodation and providing advice and advocacy on
tenancy issues. Service is jointly funded.
— Floating Support to maintain tenancies (Swaythling)—provides
support and advice to tenants whose tenancies are at risk. The
Society provides four supported housing workers to assist clients
to settle into permanent tenancies and develop life skills. Workers
work closely with other agencies to ensure clients can take up
training and education, volunteering and employment.
— Private Sector Leasing (PSL) scheme—The
purpose of this scheme is to replace "lost" temporary
accommodation for homeless households traditionally supplied from
the private sector by Housing Association Leasing (HAL) schemes,
by SCC leasing at least a dozen good quality family properties
throughout the city. The funding will enable the employment of
an additional member of staff to manage all lettings aspects of
the PSL pilot.
— Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (for ex-Rough Sleepers)—enables
work to be undertaken with otherwise difficult to manage people
who have long term histories of homelessness. Clients are following
a psychological assessment, clients are offered housing linked
to on going CBT, provided by a half time psychologist. The project
is based a specific housing project, but also provides support
to other homeless people in the city. Clients have backgrounds
of alcohol and drug use, and anger and violence issues, and are
helped to work on specific programmes of change linked to helping
them maintain their housing.
— Resettling Vulnerable Offenders Project—This
is a new partnership project with Portsmouth City Council and
HMP Winchester aimed at reducing re- offending by assisting prisoners
in finding employment, training and settled accommodation.
— Aspire Project (Training project)—Works
with rough sleepers to provide training and work experience to
enable people to rebuild their lives.
These projects are funded from the ODPM Homelessness Directorate
Allocation. For 2004-05 the council received £299k. This
reflected a cut of £175k (37%) on the figure awarded for
2003-04. Many of these projects are run by voluntary organisations
and it is important that they secure a steady stream of funding
in order that they can attract high quality and committee project
workers. Homeless is still a "housing" responsibility
but there is a need for an acceptance of shared responsibility
ie in terms of a range of agencies social services, health, benefits
and the voluntary sector all working together proactively to prevent
homelessness. The success of policies meeting the needs of homeless
households, in particular (a) families, (b) single people and
(c) those who are intentionally homeless.
WHETHER PUBLIC
AGENCIES ARE
EFFECTIVE IN
PREVENTING PEOPLE
BECOMING HOMELESS
Public agencies are working hard together to ensure that
they prevent people from becoming homeless and we have some excellent
examples. I am attaching a copy of Southampton's submission to
the ODPM's Good Practice in Homelessness Strategies: "Homelessness
Strategies good practice handbook.doc". An efficient Housing
Benefit service is critical to ensuring that people do not become
homeless. Constant changes in HB legislation make the maintenance
of such a service difficult.
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