The Council is likely to extend a lease on a property providing 103 temporary homes for people who are homeless.
The Housing Act 1996 (as amended) places a statutory duty on Local Authorities to provide Temporary Accommodation (TA) to homeless households who are eligible and have a priority need.
Coventry has seen an increase in demand for temporary housing with 1329 households living in temporary accommodation (as of September 2024). This includes 938 families with dependent children. This equates to an increase of 102 per cent since August 2022.
A report, which will be discussed by councillors before any decision is made, recommends a proposal to enter into a new lease between the Council and Stef & Phillips for Caradoc Hall, in Henley Green, for 10 years.
Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “We are doing everything we can to support vulnerable people who find themselves homeless.
“We have very few families in bed and breakfast accommodation, but the demand is increasing so that is why it is so important to secure the lease on the properties in Caradoc Hall.
“We are also working on other cost-effective options to provide family homes, but it is a very challenging set of circumstances.”
There are currently no families in Bed and Breakfast accommodation. Bed and Breakfast facilities do not typically have cooking facilities and is often the most expensive temporary accommodation option alongside being the most inappropriate form of temporary accommodation, particularly for families with dependent children.
As part of the proposed lease agreement the managing agent will commit to a refurbishment of the 103 flats in line with a condition survey agreed with the Council as a well as continued improvements to the building.
The Council has also purchased 56 family properties for temporary accommodation and will be buying a further 24 family temporary homes approved by Cabinet and a grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. (MHCLG).
Caradoc Hall has an average occupancy level of 97 per cent