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Housing First plan to support homeless in Newbury




Project to provide housing based on Scandinavian model

A NEW way of helping homeless people has been launched in West Berkshire following calls for innovative methods to reduce the number of rough sleepers in the district.

Housing First in West Berkshire will support formerly homeless people with complex needs by providing a long-term place to live, offering them a tenancy first as part of ongoing support.

Unlike other supported housing models, people do not need to prove they are ready for independent housing.

There are no conditions placed on them and they do not need to progress through a series of accommodation and treatment services.

The model was first developed in New York in 1992 and has become widely adopted in the USA.

It is also a crucial element of homelessness strategies in Canada, Denmark, Finland and France.

Sovereign Housing Association, West Berkshire Council and homelessness charity Two Saints have teamed up to provide 10 homes over the next year.

Head of supported housing for Sovereign Steph Wood said: “Housing First is a practice more widely used in Scandinavian countries, which focuses on offering homeless people a tenancy first, backed up with support, rather than asking people to address their support needs and then be ‘rewarded’ with a tenancy.

“Close partnership working is essential for Housing First to succeed, with a team of professionals based on their individual needs offering a back up to residents in their own environment.”

West Berkshire Council secured funding for the homes through a grant from the Rough Sleeping Initiative, which was offered to 83 local authorities across the country.

The council’s head of development and planning Gary Lugg added: “West Berkshire Council is delighted to be able to offer theHousing First accommodation option to homeless people who, in some cases, may have been living on the streets or sleeping rough for a considerable time.

“In tandem with being given a home, they will receive specialist support from Two Saints to enable them to have the best chance possible to make these tenancies work and to enjoy the stability of being part of the local community.”

Two Saints, which runs a homeless hostel in Newtown Road, said: “Housing First is a forward-thinking, flexible and innovative housing model.

“Two Saints are very excited to be part of the project and able to offer a new pathway to clients.”

Calls to adopt innovative schemes to reduce rough sleeping in the district, including Housing First, were made in Healthwatch West Berkshire’s homeless and rough sleeper report last year.

Councillor Steve Masters (Green, Speen) who was elected to the council this month and worked on the report, said he was pleased that funding had been allocated for Housing First following the report’s recommendations.

Mr Masters, who was homeless for 10 months in 2009, said: “I wanted the report to stimulate real action and this radical scheme that has found success across the globe will go some way to address the needs of the individuals it supports.

“West Berkshire needs to invest in truly social housing stock and challenge the policy of austerity that has seen growing levels of income and wealth inequality here.

“I welcome any initiative to reduce the number of homeless people in West Berkshire, which has been a growing problem in recent years.

The council’s opposition spokesman for housing and planning, Alan Macro (Lib Dem, Theale), said: “Housing First is aimed at homeless people with complex needs, including substance abuse.

“I’m concerned whether the funding that this requires will continue to be available once the grant money has been spent.

“I’m worried that, if that happens, people in Housing First accommodation could be left without their problems being addressed.”



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