We’re asking for comments on our draft Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025.
The draft has been drawn up following analysis of the feedback to the initial consultation held last year and a review of homelessness in the city.
The first draft of the strategy was presented to Housing Committee on 15 January and we’re now inviting comments on it before we a final draft goes to Housing Committee on 11 March 2020.
The consultation closes on Friday 14 February. The final strategy will be in place by April.
As well as residents, we’re talking to community and faith groups, voluntary and public sector partners and the business community.
The new strategy will bring together two current strands of work, in line with the government requirement for local authorities to review and combine their homelessness and rough sleeping strategies.
With 9,000 households on the housing waiting list and more than 1750 households currently in emergency and temporary accommodation, tackling homelessness and rough sleeping is a key priority for the city.
Early intervention is a key part of the strategy. In 2018/19, the council’s early intervention team helped nearly 400 households avoid becoming homeless.
Support services have also helped more than 500 people sleeping rough in the city in the past year.
The latest street count in September showed 78 people sleeping rough in the city – the exact same number as in September 2018.
