A new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy that sets out the vision, strategic direction, and priorities for Coventry for the next five years, will be discussed by councillors today.
A new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy that sets out the vision, strategic direction, and priorities for Coventry for the next five years, will be discussed by councillors today.
The strategy, if approved at Cabinet, will run till 2029.
Details in the document have been co-produced with customers, partner organisations and stakeholders and respond to key legislation that sets out the Council’s duties in respect of homelessness and rough sleeping.
The strategy ensures the Council delivers on the requirements to prevent homelessness, provide support, and ensure sufficient accommodation is available.
Cllr Naeem Akhtar, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “I was out with the rough sleepers’ outreach team just last week and saw close up the great work they do. They provide support to people with more complex needs in difficult circumstances, and do everything they can to help people to gain some stability.
“Homelessness as an issue impacts a wide variety of individuals and families. That’s why it absolutely vital that we have a partnership approach. The service only works as well as it does because of the contribution of lots of agencies.
“This strategy maintains this approach and has been put together by the Council and its partners and people who have used the services.
“In recent years homelessness figures have increased, and we need to apply new approaches to support people in the best way possible.”
The current Housing and Homelessness Strategy was published in 2019 and runs until 2024.
The Council no longer owns its own housing, but it works closely with the social housing provider, Citizen, to manage the way people access homes.
The Council also operates a homelessness prevention service helping people who may be facing the prospect of homelessness to remain in their property. In October the Council and its partners helped 83 households, who were owed prevention or relief duty, to secure new or existing accommodation.
Cllr Akhtar added: “Over the next five years and beyond we want to ensure that we are equipped and able to focus on prevention and recovery – whilst still responding to people and families facing a crisis.”
Factors affecting the increase in homelessness include higher living costs, reduced numbers of available social housing and challenges such as the Local Housing Allowance being less than local rental values.
There has been significant national investment into Rough Sleeper services which has made a significant impact to our ability and capacity to support rough sleepers but this funding is time limited and currently confirmed up to 31 March 2025 only.
When people do need to move, their housing options are limited. Average private rents in Great Britain have risen to record highs, with annual rental growth in hotspot locations.
Coventry saw rents increasing by 19.5% between Q1 2023 and Q1 2024.