Hastings Homeless Strategy 2019 – 2023
Summary of the Homelessness Strategy
The Homelessness Strategy focuses on three main priorities to address homelessness and rough sleeping: reducing rough sleeping, minimizing the use of emergency accommodation, and adapting services to meet local needs.
Priority 1: Reduce Rough Sleeping
The strategy aims to reduce rough sleeping by improving prevention services and increasing housing options. Key actions include:
- Developing approaches initiated by the Rough Sleeping Initiative and Rapid Rehousing Pathway.
- Expanding a holistic approach involving health, mental health, social care, and substance misuse partners.
- Working with partners to increase short and long-term housing solutions, including Housing First accommodation.
- Coordinating support and enforcement efforts across statutory and voluntary sectors through the Hastings Street Community Partnership.
Priority 2: Minimize Use of Emergency Accommodation
This priority seeks to reduce reliance on emergency housing by improving access to permanent housing solutions. The strategy focuses on:
- Increasing the supply of affordable housing in both the social and private rented sectors.
- Expanding council-owned emergency accommodation and the private sector leasing element of the Social Lettings Agency.
- Diversifying housing options for individuals with complex needs and assisting transitions from supported housing.
- Providing financial support to homeless households for securing new housing.
- Enhancing homelessness prevention efforts to decrease the demand for emergency housing.
Priority 3: Adapt Services to Meet Local Needs
Adapting services to the specific needs of the community involves:
- Focusing on tenancy sustainment.
- Developing links between homelessness services and employability support.
- Implementing trauma-informed practices across services.
- Reviewing the social housing allocation process.
- Raising awareness of homelessness prevention among statutory partners.
- Tailoring services to specific groups, such as young people at risk of homelessness.
- Engaging service users and providers to continually improve service delivery.
Recommended Actions
Priority 1: Reduce Rough Sleeping
- Develop and expand the Rough Sleeping Initiative and Rapid Rehousing Pathway.
- Collaborate with health, mental health, social care, and substance misuse partners for a holistic approach.
- Increase the range of housing solutions, including Housing First accommodation.
- Coordinate support and enforcement through the Hastings Street Community Partnership.
- Improve prevention services to reduce new rough sleepers.
- Increase temporary accommodation units for rough sleepers, with at least two units for vulnerable women.
- Enhance coordination between enforcement and support services.
Priority 2: Minimize Use of Emergency Accommodation
- Develop a strategy to increase affordable housing supply in social and private sectors.
- Expand council-owned emergency accommodation.
- Enhance the private sector leasing element of the Social Lettings Agency.
- Increase housing options for people with multiple and complex needs, and support transitions from supported housing.
- Provide financial assistance to homeless households for securing housing.
- Improve homelessness prevention to reduce emergency housing demand.
- Reduce the average length of stay in emergency accommodation.
- Enhance move-on processes from properties leased through the Social Lettings Agency.
- Prevent evictions from private landlords.
- Increase training and employment opportunities for homeless households.
- Improve awareness of homelessness services among partners.
- Incorporate trauma-informed training into working practices.
- Review and update the Hastings Homemove Allocation Scheme.
Priority 3: Adapt Services to Meet Local Needs
- Emphasize tenancy sustainment.
- Develop connections between homelessness services and specialist employability support.
- Implement trauma-informed practices in homelessness services.
- Review the process for offering social housing.
- Collaborate with statutory partners to raise awareness of homelessness prevention.
- Adapt services to the needs of specific groups, like young people at risk of homelessness.
- Engage service users and providers in efforts to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping.
By addressing these priorities through coordinated efforts, increased housing solutions, and tailored support services, the strategy aims to significantly reduce homelessness and improve the quality of life for affected individuals in the community【6:0†source】【6:1†source】【6:2†source】【6:3†source】【6:4†source】【6:5†source】.