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Housing association to offer all one-bed homes for rough sleepers
A large housing association in the South of England is offering up all of its available one-bedroom homes for rough sleepers placed in emergency accommodation during the coronavirus crisis.
Radian, which owns around 34,000 homes, has pledged to offer 100% of its available one beds to local authorities in June and July as part of a new homelessness strategy.
It will also offer up 15% of its void two-bed properties and has committed to building new move-on homes for rough sleepers using modern methods of construction.
The association badged the commitment as a response to the recent call from Dame Louise Casey, the government’s rough sleeping tsar, for help to move people brought off the streets into permanent housing.
Since March, nearly 15,000 rough sleepers or those at risk of sleeping rough have been placed in hotels and other emergency accommodation to help protect them from COVID-19.
The government is now asking councils to set out their future plans for people brought inside during the pandemic amid concerns that some could face a return to the streets.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has previously warned that there is a “limited capacity” of suitable move-on accommodation for rough sleepers, with the government since pledging £433m to deliver 6,000 new long-term homes.
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Lindy Morgan, chair of Radian, said: “In the wake of COVID-19, we will undoubtedly see additional pressures of homelessness compounding the existing housing crisis.
“As a major housing provider we are committed to playing our part in stopping thousands of homeless people returning to life on the streets because the temporary accommodation that has been their home during the crisis is no longer available.
“In addition to providing new homes, we will work with specialist support agencies to help ensure people don’t return to life on the street.”
Twenty-six of Radian’s homes have already been offered to four local authorities for rough sleepers housed during the pandemic.
Housing associations strike deals with councils over which of their homes will be reserved for homeless households or those on the housing waiting list, which are known as nomination agreements.
Radian said it previously held differing agreements across the 33 local authorities in which it operates.
The landlord is also developing a new homelessness prevention strategy alongside councils and through independent research.
It called on “fellow housing providers to join us at this pivotal time” in trying to solve homelessness for good.
Cross Keys Homes (CKH) has also changed its approach to allocations, in a bid to cut turnarounds between tenancies.
The 11,000-home housing association has withdrawn from Peterborough City Council’s choice-based lettings system.
It will now allocate 25% of its vacant homes directly.
Claire Higgins, chief executive of CKH, said: “There’s a housing crisis in Peterborough and we’re keen to do all we can to help ease the demand by ensuring that homes don’t stand empty longer than they need to – not even by a few days.
“We want to make sure that the fantastic key workers living in our city also have the opportunity to benefit from the chance to find an appropriate home in this way.”
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