INSITE October 2021: Homelessness: our crisis and our solutions

Homelessness:

The average life expectancy for a homeless woman is just 43, 45 for a man. But as the work of Cambridge-based It Takes a City (ITAC) has shown, there is much that we can do to help. To understand the homelessness crisis, it is necessary to understand both definitions and data, neither of which are straight-forward.

The government publishes comprehensive data on statutory homelessness and the outcomes of applications by households for prevention or relief. Applications rose to almost 300,000 households in 2019/20, with some 140,000 cases being resolved satisfactorily, and a further 85,000 cases resulting in a “duty to house” being determined, meaning an offer of social housing and interim temporary accommodation. This is a measure of the main work undertaken by local authorities.

In addition to those in the above figures, mostly families, the Homelessness Monitor estimates that ‘core homelessness’ in England rose by 32,000 between 2012 and 2019 to just over 200,000 single people. This is a measure of the challenge facing not just local authorities, in addition to their statutory duties, but also that of the wider set of community actors, social, private and public sector funded, that aim to keep rough sleepers safe, provide hostel or similar temporary accommodation, run night shelters, provide outreach, develop new housing options, provide support services, etc.

There are many causes of homelessness – not only the rising cost of living, but issues more directly connected to our industry: rising house prices, housing supply shortfalls/chronic under-delivery of affordable housing, and the lack of social rented homes as a result of Right to Buy. While the Government has announced an additional £2 billion to provide 25,000 social rented homes in the next five years, this will not compensate for the fall in provision of social rented homes since 2010.

“During the pandemic, 300 homeless people in Cambridge were offered emergency accommodation in hotels, council flats and vacant student accommodation.”

“According to Crisis, only 20% of private landlords will let their properties to homeless people, rents are unaffordable and the up-front costs of deposits and advance rents are a considerable barrier.”

About our professionals

Richard Seamark Partner

Richard Seamark is a Partner in Carter Jonas’ Planning and Development Team, based in our Cambridge office. Richard specialises in residential and commercial redevelopment, and currently acts for a number of private landowner, developer/promoter, institutional, and local authority clients. Richard has been assisting ITAC for over 18 months. It Takes A City (Cambridge) 2021 is a registered charity (No. 1190676). Contributions from Chris Jenkin (Trustee – ITAC).

The 2021 Homelessness Monitor, the basis for policy and economic decisions, creates two main categorisations: statutorily homeless households – those who seek or receive housing assistance (generally households with children) and people experiencing ‘core homelessness’ (generally single people who are rough sleeping; sleeping in cars, tents and public transport, unlicensed squats, or non-residential buildings; staying in hostels, refuges and shelters; living in ‘unsuitable’ temporary accommodation such as B&Bs, or sofa-surfing).

Furthermore, it can be difficult for homeless people to access the private sector. According to Crisis, only 20% of private landlords will let their properties to homeless people, rents are unaffordable and the up-front costs of deposits and advance rents are a considerable barrier. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported that in 2019/2020 over a third of people in the private rental sector were in poverty due to the cost of housing. In addition, many private rented properties are in poor condition, and tenancy agreements provided on a temporary or short-term do not offer long term security.

Thankfully, charities, voluntary organisations and local authorities – often supported by the property sector – are working around the clock to find solutions. November 2018 saw the inaugural It Takes a City Cambridge Summit on Homelessness, organised by a group of volunteers. The Summit initiated conversations around solutions, recognising that homelessness is much more than the lack of a front door key. The conversations continued in the form of action groups, facilitated by the It Takes a City founders and quickly moved into action. The charity It Takes a City (Cambridge) was incorporated to provide the means to frame and resource its initiatives. In addition to many outreach services, a Community Land Trust (CLT) was incorporated to develop new private or social sector funded housing for the homeless.

During the pandemic, 300 homeless people in Cambridge were offered emergency accommodation in hotels, council flats and vacant student accommodation. ITAC helped to provide the additional accommodation and support, and as a continuation of this service, Cambridge City Council has provided a number of new housing options so that many have been able to move into either existing or new accommodation.

The CLT has already raised £300k in social finance to cover the first six modular homes and the costs of planning and project management for the first scheme. Homes are built off-site by social enterprise partner New Meaning Foundation and will be installed in early 2022. Residents will be given support by specialist staff, to assist in a range of areas including social care, training and employment. A similar scheme has recently been provided in Cambridge, involving a partnership between Allia Impact, New Meaning Foundation and Jimmy’s Cambridge.

Carter Jonas is pleased to act as an advisor, seeking suitable sites for modular accommodation units. The search for sites has proven to be more challenging than expected, but with one at an advanced stage of discussions and more planned to follow, the hope is that more people will start receiving access to safe and secure homes, in an environment that fosters the care and support that’s needed.

Whilst the preference of the CLT is to acquire sites for use on a permanent basis, landowners and developers of large consented or allocated strategic sites are also well placed to offer an interim solution (as a ‘meanwhile use’ for a period of 4-5 years), where land reserved for later phases of development could be made available on a shorter-term basis until that development phase is ready to commence. The same is true of Green Belt sites, where a landowner might have longer-term ambitions for Green Belt release or a Local Plan allocation, but the reality of delivering development for the intended purpose might be still many years away. We would be keen to hear from landowners who might be able to provide sites for such purposes.

Aoife Hand Graduate Planner

Aoife Hand is a Graduate Planner in Carter Jonas’ Planning and Development Team, based in our Cambridge office.

Brick wall texture backgrounds, with light spot

our crisis and our solutions

in 2010/11: 39,000

in 2015/16: 23,000

down 120,000 between 2012 and 2016

below 4 million

in 2012: 187,000

in 2019: 220,000

Social Rented Homes built in England

Number of social rented homes in England

Core homelessness in England