A pilot scheme which could use empty council houses in Caerphilly County Borough to accommodate rough sleepers has received initial backing from councillors.
Cornerstone Support Services currently carry out homeless prevention and rough sleeper programmes alongside the council and local churches.
Volunteers have helped find homes for more than 360 people in these last four years, with 90% remaining in their tenancies.
And now the group’s director Andrew Clarke is calling for the council to take up a scheme which would utilise vacant homes as houses in multiple occupation (HMO) for prospective tenants.
Speaking to members of the policy and resources scrutiny committee, Mr Clarke said: “We’ve got places empty and people on the street, and we’ve got a chance here to say no.
“If you have a three-bed house, we can get three people off the street.
“I genuinely believe there is a huge will amongst the homelessness team to end the need to sleep rough. We could be the first borough [in Wales] to do this.”
Mr Clarke told councillors that “more flexible” use of housing stock was being supported by the authority’s homeless officers and registered social landlords (RSLs).
The strategy is currently being tested with an HMO in the borough where two rough sleepers are currently living, with a further two expected to move in imminently.
While the pilot scheme was described as “not supported living accommodation”, onsite support would be provided to ensure antisocial behaviour issues are dealt with.
The tenants, who are all under-35s, will also receive support from the Department of Work and Pensions and Careers Wales to make them “work ready”.
“We want to improve their employability and to move them away from benefits,” said Mr Clarke.
“We will work with them intensely until that landlord is happy. Once settled, we will move them into an independent flat made affordable through work.”
“There is a fear in communities – ‘not next door to me thank you very much’, but it’s worth a try. The commitment is for a year, and if it doesn’t work we step away.”
Independent councillor Kevin Etheridge described the pilot as a “really good opportunity that needed to be marketed effectively”.
The council’s deputy leader, Labour councillor Barbara Jones, said: “This maybe is a way of bringing our empty properties back into usefulness through providing homes for people.”
Sue Cousins, the authority’s principle officer, made it clear that the scheme was in its infancy and that HMOs would be allocated on a case-by-case basis.
The council’s chief housing officer, Shaun Couzens, added: “We will not be promoting loads of HMOs across the borough, we’re not rushing this.
“We want to make better uses of the assets we’ve got.”
Common sense at last from this council!
Only one problem here – Caerphilly Council recently stated in the media that a recent rough sleeper survey showed they only had one rough sleeper!
While the scheme is good,once again the council seem to have shot themselves in the foot.
As an aside I see in tonights South Wales Argus Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre is once again on the agenda for closure ( as I predicted on this site would happen ! ).
Sorry John i did reply but for some reason the observer has blocked it.
It looks like they have this time, if we only have one rough sleeper why cant we give these family homes to people who desperately need them, who live in small flats etc, we would not need to build so many new homes just use what we have got.
Absolutely good news
I see the observer are checking posts again, my reply to John is on hold, no swear words no threatening words just restrictions on free speech
Surprised by Cllr Jones comment’s,That there are empty properties available ?
These should be made fit & allocated to those Already on the waiting list before any Homeless person is allocated them.
People are homeless for many reason’s, some by choice/Some through anti-social activities,or not wanting the responsibility of running a home,So there is no quick fix answer’s..
Caerphilly as a good record on how it allocates it’s Dupleted Housing Stock.
That’s down to the good Management of Shaun Couzens & the Housing Team.
We should not rush into anything we may regret later,
This Scheme should be run in-house, under the Control of the Housing Dept.
There should be no prioritising on the grounds of just being homeless.
That’s a good point, I do voluntary work to help the homeless but people on the waiting list deserve consideration too.
Hi, I commend your much needed work with the homeless & something need’s to be done for those wishing to be homed,
But each person is different, Some times one prefer’s “Solitude to a bad Neighbour” or indeed bad Housing.
Yes, there are almost as many reasons for homelessness as there are homeless people. A blanket approach, such as offering housing that would otherwise go to those who have put themselves on the council house list, is not a good idea. Thank you for highlighting this, you have hit this particular nail squarely on the head.