Doubt cast on plan to get homeless off streets

A £1.6MILLION scheme to tackle homelessness in the city has been approved by Coventry City Council – with a warning that the funding isn’t enough.

The government has allocated £9.6m to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to help prevent longterm rough sleepers going back on the streets.

Coventry’s share £1,673,725 - was approved by the council’s cabinet on Tuesday, and will help up to 110 people over a three-year pilot, or up to 37 per year.

Instead of being placed into shelters or often expensive temporary accommodation, those in need will be given a permanentstable home.

Individuals will be given intensive support to help them recover from complex health issues such as substance abuse and mental health difficulties. But the city council’s cabinet member for housing and communities Councillor Ed Ruane said the funding is insufficient.

The £9.6m the WMCA has been given for the scheme will support around 600 people, while the Housing First model in Finland - of which it is based upon - received EUR300m for its eightyear project, supporting around 1,500, he said.

He added: “There is issues around getting housing associations on board to provide the accommodation.

“They have got concerns about the level of provision. Currently we have budgeted for 10 hours a week in the first quarter, six hours in the second and two hours in the third. Rightly so housing associations are reluctant.

“It is seen to be dealing with rough sleeping without dealing with the wider issue.

“It is short term and has been badged as a Scandinavian model but without the funding.”

Alan Quinlan, the council’s Planning and Housing Policy Officer, added: “Although we are talking about 110 people we might not be able to achieve that.

“Most people in the West Midlands agree that the level of funding and the hours of provision proposed is not sufficient.”

The WMCA did not want to respond to the comments when asked.

Initially, the programme will seek to work with long-term rough sleepers to help them off the streets along with individuals at risk of homelessness and those with particularly challenging needs.

Individuals must be homeless or entrenched rough sleepers for three months or longer; going to be homeless within 56 days; have at least one additional need such as mental health, substance misuse or offending; or be at risk of exclusion from mainstream or supported housing due to behaviour.

Coventry is aiming to put five people into accommodation by March, with the uncommitted balance rolling over into subsequent years.