£3.9m homes plan will help homeless
Homeless people could find themselves with a roof over their head to help them get back on their feet thanks to a multimillionpound council initiative.
Maidstone Borough Council’s (MBC) policy and resources committee was due to meet last night (Wednesday) to discuss plans to purchase 13 properties that will be made into temporary accommodation.
Figures published by homeless charity Shelter at the end of last year showed there were 38 people sleeping rough on the County Town’s streets, but the actual number is likely to be higher.
It was outlined at the meeting that there is £3.9 million available from the housing investments capital budget, which was agreed at a full council meeting earlier this month.
MBC is looking to make the majority of the accommodation two and three-bed properties, with a budget per property of £230,000 to £275,000.
Councillors were recommended to approve the delegation of authority for these purchases to Mark Green, director of finance and business improvement, who will liaise with Cllr Fran Wilson and Cllr Annabelle Blackmore, chairman and vice-chairman of the committee, on a caseby-case basis for each of the properties.
The council hopes to complete the sales by the end of June.
The authority already has a number of properties which are used as temporary accommodation for those in need, including in Aylesbury House on London Road, Magnolia House in Cripple Street, and Springwood Close, Barming.
Speaking about the proposals, Amanda Sidwell, founder of Making a Difference to Maidstone (MADM), a charity supporting local homeless people, said: “At last, this is fantastic news as it’s greatly needed.”