Select Committee on Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Written Evidence


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).
DateHomeless and in Priority
Need Acceptances
1998-99570 households
1999-2000663 households
2000-01758 households
2001-02686 households
2002-03756 households
2003-04699 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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