|
Meeting: |
Executive Committee |
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Meeting date: |
12th December 2024 |
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Report of: |
Pauline Stuchfield Director of Housing and Communities Sara Storey Corporate Director – Adults and Integration Peter Roderick Director of Public Health Martin Kelly Corporate Director – Children and Education |
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Portfolio of: |
Councillor Michael Pavlovic Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities |
Decision Report: Homelessness
& Rough Sleeping Strategy, 2024-29
Subject of
Report
1. The report will present to Executive the Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2024-29. The Strategy will guide work in this area for the following five years and will seek to enlist partners, stakeholders and citizens in a plan to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.
2. The Strategy builds on existing successes and partnerships, offering pathways to suitable housing that can be sustained with high quality, person-centred support.
3. Under the Homelessness Act 2002, all housing authorities must have in place a Homelessness Strategy based on a review of all forms of homelessness in their district. The strategy must be renewed at least every 5 years. The social services authority must provide reasonable assistance.
4. The Strategy is important because it gives focus and structure to the range of services and initiatives which deal with, and seek to prevent, homelessness and rough sleeping. York faces a particular challenge of homelessness because of the shortage of suitable, affordable housing.
Benefits and Challenges
5. Benefits:
· Establishing an enhanced approach to meeting homelessness need in the City, building on experience and successes of current service delivery.
· Development of new partnerships and innovative delivery models within a clear governance and performance framework.
· Supporting individual wellbeing and reducing long term system costs through early intervention and prevention approaches to tackling homelessness.
· Supporting the council’s core commitments expressed in the 2023 to 2027 Council Plan – Equality of Opportunity, Health and Wellbeing and Affordability.
· Meeting the council’s statutory requirement to have in place an up to date Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy.
6. Risks
· In the event that the Strategy ambitions are not achieved, at risk residents would face adverse impacts and system pressures could increase cost and other challenges.
· There is also a dependency of partner buy-in at a time of significant resource constraint, in order to deliver the multi-agency, wraparound support approach that is essential to achieving sustainable outcomes for clients with more complex needs.
Policy Basis for Decision
7. Housing affordability is a key challenge for the City, with an average cost of homes around 9 times higher than average earnings[1] and rent levels that are amongst the highest in the north of England[2]. The Council Plan demonstrates this administration’s commitment to reducing homelessness by including “number of people sleeping rough” as one if its new key performance indicators. In addition, provision of good quality housing to meet the range of needs across the City’s residents is recognised as central to the Council’s 2023-27 Plan as part of Core Commitments, Affordability and Health and Wellbeing, and to the vision of “One City, for all”.
8. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines published last year highlighted that people experiencing homelessness face significant health inequalities: mortality is around ten times higher than the rest of the population and life expectancy is around 30 years less. Barriers to accessing health and social care services are attributed in part to the high numbers of preventable deaths within this population. The Council Plan contains a focus on fairness and health inequalities, with the ambition to reverse the widening trend of health inequalities in our city. It is recognised in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy that housing access and affordability is fundamental in meeting the aims of the Strategy and tackling wider determinants of health.
9. The Local Government Association (LGA) provides resources for development of effective Homelessness Strategies, which have been incorporated into the development of this proposed Strategy. The LGA’s self-assessment checklist has been utilised as part of this process.
10. The council’s Housing Charter vision of One Team, Healthy Homes, Better Lives and principles including We Think Forward, We Think Together and We Think You are embedded within the person-centred, partnership based and wellbeing focused approach taken in this Strategy.
11. This Strategy proposes an approach with extensive correlation to a wider neighbourhood based model where multidisciplinary services operate through hubs with practice that is holistic, integrated and well joined up.
Financial Strategy Implications
12. The council currently has the following budgets totalling £3,337k that it uses to support its statutory homelessness duties:
· Housing General Fund £1,690k
· Resettlement Service £986k
· Homelessness Grants (MHCLG) £661k
13. The grants provided from MHCLG have only been announced for financial year 2024/25 and so we await likely central government funding announcements going forward.
14. This Strategy sets out principles which would be met within these existing internal budgets. It is proposed to do this through a combination of service redesign, external funding opportunities and partner contributions founded on a clear corporate direction of travel. This strategic direction is necessary in order to access those resources and support funding bids to develop service capacities.
15. Any internal service delivery changes will need and to be delivered within this budgetary envelope subject to future central government funding.
Recommendation and Reasons
16. a) Approve the Homelessness & Rough Sleeper Strategy for 2024-29 as described in this report, and delegate to the Director of Housing and Communities the final form of the draft Strategy document Annex E, in consultation with the Executive Member for Housing, Planning and Safer Communities.
Reason: To achieve the positive outcomes for vulnerable individuals and the other benefits highlighted in this report, while meeting the council’s statutory responsibilities and making effective use of resources.
17. b) Establish a multi-agency governance board to help guide the Strategy implementation and approve the high-level performance monitoring frameworks set out in paragraphs 86.-87. of the report.
Reason: To deliver better outcomes for vulnerable individuals and a cost effective, trauma-informed integrated homelessness & rough sleeping set of services founded on early intervention
18. c) Authorise the Director of Housing and Communities and the Corporate Director – Adult Social Care and Integration, to work with partners on service re-design and service transformation, moving to a Housing First approach.
Reason: To deliver the objectives of the Strategy and meet the needs of individuals and families at risk of homelessness.
19. d) Authorise the Director of Housing and Communities to work with partners to increase the supply of suitable accommodation to help meet demand.
Reason: To deliver the objectives of the Strategy and meet the needs of individuals and families at risk of homelessness.
20. e) Authorise the Director of Housing and Communities and the Corporate Director – Adult Social Care and Integration, to develop a preventative approach and services in line with the Strategy and the year one actions detailed in this report.
Reason: To deliver the objectives of the Strategy, meet the needs of individuals and families at risk of homelessness, and deliver early intervention services at a high level of cost effectiveness.
21. f) Report back to Executive Committee within 12 months on progress against delivery of the Strategy Action Plan.
Reason: To embed accountability within the new governance structure and performance framework that structure the Strategy delivery plans.
Background
22. York’s previous Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Together Strategy 2018-2023 was adopted in 2018. Since 2023 a review of that Strategy has been underway, in accordance with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) expectations. Advice from MHCLG has indicated that having a review process underway is the priority and a strategy that is approved during 2024 would be acceptable.
23. A summary of the progress made during the 2018-23 strategy period is attached as Annex B of this report.
24. The Council Plan highlights that housing affordability is a key challenge in York, with the average house price around 9 times average earnings. There are 7.3 per 100,000 people sleeping rough in the City compared to 4.9 regionally. 15 rough sleeping individuals were identified in the most recent final report to central government. The new administration demonstrated its commitment to reducing homelessness by including “number of people sleeping rough” as one of its new key performance indicators.
25. In addition, provision of good quality housing to meet the range of needs across the City’s residents is recognised as central to the Council’s 2023-27 Plan as part of Core Commitments, Affordability and Health and Wellbeing, and to the vision of “One City, for all”.
26. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines published last year highlighted that people experiencing homelessness face significant health inequalities: mortality is around ten times higher than the rest of the population and life expectancy is around 30 years less. Barriers accessing health and social care services is attributed in part to the high numbers of preventable deaths within this population. The Council plan contains a focus on fairness and health inequalities with the ambition to reverse the widening trend of health inequalities in our city. It is recognised in the Health and Wellbeing Strategy that housing access and affordability is fundamental in meeting the aims of the Strategy and tackling wider determinants of health.
27. It is important to establish a distinction between measures of rough sleeping in respect of local connection status. Local connection has a broad definition and encompasses for example, people fleeing domestic abuse who would not be safe in another area. The resolution options for rough sleeping are significantly distinct for individuals with a local connection status and it is important to reflect this in system performance measures.
28. The current administration has a clear commitment to end rough sleeping.
Consultation Analysis
29. The proposed Strategy has been developed in consultation with a range of organisations and individuals, including those with lived experience of rough sleeping and homelessness as well as staff and organisations involved in delivering services to this community, both in York and elsewhere. Those involved in the consultation include:
· Primary Care - representing GPs
· TEWV - Mental Health Services
· Integrated Care Board (ICB)
· Clients of homelessness and rough sleeping services
· Public health including addiction services
· Police
· Probation
· Corporate Parenting Board
· Adult Services Boards bringing Health & Social Care together
· Staff working in hostels and support services and neighbourhood co-ordinators
· Registered Providers
· University / Centre for Housing Policy
· North Yorkshire homelessness & mental health connection group
· Mappa operational group
· York Council for Voluntary Service
· Tang Hall Smart
· Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance
· Tenants Panel
· Changing Lives
· Salvation Army
· Restore
· CareCent including Lived Experience
· Peaseholme Charity
· Community Safety Hub
· North Yorkshire Police City Centre contact
· LIFE – Lived Insights from Experience
· Community Links
· Other organisations working with single homeless people
30. Consultees were engaged via one-to-one conversations, group discussion and consultation (including two multi-disciplinary events held in September 2024), in team meetings and via written submission.
31. The conclusions drawn from consultation are that:
a. Services should focus on the needs of the individual and will therefore vary from person to person. Insights from those with lived experience of homelessness highlight that personalisation is key.
b. Where possible, processes should be simplified, particularly in relation to the steps and actions necessary to secure permanent housing. However, it was recognised that an evidence base for decision making should always be put in place in order to ensure and demonstrate fair decision making.
c. Multi-agency working is key to success. Service users may have complex needs (for example, substance misuse support as well as mental health care and physical medical needs) and the delivery of these services in a co-ordinated and timely way is important.
d. Partners with experience of providing services in other areas tell us that, for clients with complex needs, time spent in a hostel, where they can “settle” and all can learn their strengths and weaknesses is an important part of the design of a personalised service. Several partners emphasised that this time should be short, and no longer than 3 months, to manage a risk that negative behaviours can be learnt and social confidence easily lost in this environment.
e. Limited availability of social housing is often a barrier to resolving homelessness, especially in a context where the welfare benefits system limits access to the private rented sector in York. However, for clients with more complex needs a multi-disciplinary support package is needed to successfully sustain a social housing tenancy. There is a high probability of tenancy failure where these needs are unmet, with significant impact on wellbeing and system-wide costs.
f. Women only hostel accommodation and community based “wrap round” support plays an important role in supporting women and girls fleeing or who have suffered violence. Examples of service in Sunderland may be instructive, key is that the culture of all housing and support services is attuned to the specific needs of women and girls in these circumstances.
g. Tackling the negative elements of “street culture”, encouraging active not passive support for individuals, and responding effectively to anti-social behaviours are an important part of a preventative and enabling approach to rough sleeping.
h. Loneliness can result in the breakdown of tenancies and so social networks need to be nurtured, peer support put in place and community engagement encouraged. York will have lots of community capacity but it needs to be identified and worked into the service model.
i. Don’t forget hospital discharge support and quickly available housing and support to prevent hospital admissions. Again, these need to be multi-disciplinary approaches but we have good models in Yorkshire and the North East that we can learn from.
j. Prevention should be a focus, with effort put into supporting the well-being of individuals, their health and fitness and the re-establishment of social links and confidence. Partners shared insights into the social, confidence and networking benefits that arise from sport and fitness activities.
k. Via the formation of social networks and links to community, experience has shown that work and volunteering opportunities arise. These can be beneficial in supporting an individual to re-gain their place and status in family, social and community networks.
l. Information sharing and building relationships between teams are important in successful partnership working, alongside formal governance arrangements, data monitoring and system design.
m. Colleagues from the University of York tell us that a study of recent clients is likely to tell us much about the nature and profile of service users in York, helping us to better understand needs and best plan services. A small number of individuals will be “repeat” users of service and by engaging most intensely with these can help manage demand in the long term.
Options Analysis and Evidential Basis
33. The council is required to have a Homelessness Strategy.
34. When formulating this proposed Strategy we have examined context and evidence, and reviewed good practice from other areas.
Context and evidence base
35. A primary driver of homelessness in the City of York is the City’s ongoing housing affordability challenge. Using data from the council’s statutory homelessness returns alongside delivery data and the Local Housing Needs Assessment[3], a shortfall is clearly evidenced which is exacerbated by the central government policy of Local Housing Allowance freeze since 2020 despite significant local private rent increases in this time. Local Housing Allowance is expected to be reindexed to the lowest 30% of rents in April 2024 however a review of the government’s indicative uplifted figures indicates a significant shortfall is expected to remain[4].
36. This has been exacerbated by the cost of living crisis since 2021 in food and other essentials which has increased housing and homelessness pressures at the same time as longer term rough sleeping has been tackled through initiatives in the last strategy period.
37. From a review of 40 lower market advertised private rental properties in the City of York in December 2023, none of the 1-4 bedroom homes were affordable within the 2024 Local Housing Allowance level. Average shortfalls are significant and act to effectively prevent the lowest income households to access the private rented sector. This Is further impacted by the Broad Rental Market Area that City of York is included within, comprising neighbouring moderate cost rental market areas such as Selby and Easingwold, resulting in a lower Local Housing Allowance level being applied to York.
38. Statutory homelessness duties for prevention or relief are high relative to annual social housing lets.
39. Annual housing delivery falls consistently far below the assessed annual need of 592 additional affordable homes (Local Housing Needs Assessment 2022).
40. In addition key services such as mental health clinical care and social care are undergoing unprecedented pressure, with an estimated increase of 60% in adults with moderate to severe depressive symptoms nationally (p15) and a more than doubling of estimated 17-19 year olds with experiencing a mental health condition (p14).[5] Disability benefit entitlement due to mental health needs has increased even more rapidly[6].
41. Rehabilitation in the prison and probation service has been significantly impacted by budget and staffing reductions since 2010. There has been a sustained reduction in the number of prisoners attaining basic Maths and English qualifications[7] along with other rehabilitative activities, while HM Inspectorate of Probation summarised the impact of cuts to housing support and repeated restructuring of the service: “widespread homelessness and a lack of suitable housing is jeopardising the rehabilitation of offenders”.[8] This increases the urgency of tackling homelessness through a holistic accommodation and assertive support approach.
42. Around 150 successful homelessness prevention cases are achieved annually through the Housing Options service, significantly reducing the overall homelessness impact in the City. 50-70 of these are typically households including children.
43. A leading cause of homelessness for all household types is “Family and friends no longer willing to accommodate”. In many cases this is likely to be related to housing market and benefit cuts pressures as noted above, and/or unmet needs support issues. For households with children, domestic abuse is the single highest cause of homelessness, highlighting the need for priority actions to reduce the occurrence. From 2023/24 onwards, newly accepted refugees accommodated within York have now become a significant homelessness needs group. This has not been the case historically and is a result of Home Office policy changes in respect of the City of York.
44. City of York Council has a relatively low use of Temporary Accommodation, and one of the highest proportions of Temporary Accommodation in Local Authority owned hostels, at 83% (December 2023 snapshot data). This greatly reduces the financial pressures that other councils have seen through use of expensive Private Sector Lease and Bed and Breakfast arrangements.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-homelessness
45. An extensive snapshot evidence gathering exercise was undertaken within the Resettlement Pathway in January 2022. Full details are in the link below, summarised in the table below. This highlights the needs of individuals at risk of rough sleeping or with other complex needs and in the process of resettlement following homelessness[9].
Table 1: Resettlement Pathway Needs
|
Needs type / category |
Number of service users |
% of total service users |
|
|
Total service users in snapshot |
323 |
100% |
<----- More frequent in service Less frequent—--> |
|
Experience of trauma |
220 |
68% |
|
|
Moderate/High Stress & Anxiety |
178 |
55% |
|
|
Current / past TEWV involvement |
171 |
53% |
|
|
Mid/High needs complexity |
139 |
43% |
|
|
Repeat presentations |
136 |
42% |
|
|
Female service users |
103 |
32% |
|
|
Contact with criminal justice: Medium / High / Significant |
87 |
27% |
|
|
10+ years “in the system” |
61 |
19% |
|
|
Alcohol & Drug Dependence* |
58 |
18% |
|
|
High / significant level MH needs |
48 |
15% |
* Alcohol & Drug Dependence more frequently present in:
· Multiple Presentations: 40%
· High Complexity: 60%
· Older males: 25%
46. The UK Government provides specialist support through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the principles of this strategy are considered consistent with its “Ending rough sleeping for good”[10] plan and “From harm to hope: A 10-year drugs plan to cut crime and save lives”[11]. However, resources are not currently made available at the scale necessary to deliver on the ambitions of these national strategies[12].
47. A good practice review of comparable locations around the country has been carried out to inform themes and priorities for the review.
Evidence base: Conclusions
48. The evidence base reinforces the insights gained through consultation undertaken. The key conclusions are that:
· An acceleration of social housing provision is needed to tackle homelessness, but needs to be provided alongside a multi-disciplinary support model that is person-centred and trauma-informed to enable clients with complex needs to sustain a home successfully.
· Early intervention and prevention is an essential priority to achieve positive outcomes for individuals and to make the best use of resources across homelessness systems.
· There are significant successes to learn from in existing service delivery alongside gaps and barriers to address to achieve the strategy aims of making homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.
· A distinct approach for family households where homelessness is driven primarily by a shortage of affordable housing and high private rents relative to mortgage costs. The evidence base indicates that support needs and behaviours are not the primary factor albeit can be a cause in a small minority of cases.
· This informs an understanding of needs and a system that can be designed to meet these effectively, in a person-centred way.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping: Needs Pyramid
 |
Proposed Strategy and its Governance
The Proposed Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy, 2024-29
49. The strategy aims to build on existing successes and partnerships to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring, offering pathways to suitable housing that can be sustained with high quality, person-centred support and a system focussed on building independence.
50. The new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy takes a Housing First approach for single homelessness clients, focusing on the rapid re-housing of those facing homelessness, reducing or avoiding time in a hotel or temporary accommodation:
“Housing First is an approach to ending homelessness through housing and support provision. It prioritises access to permanent housing with tailored, open-ended, wraparound support for the resident that emphasises choice and control.”[13]
51. Where an individual or family need help to establish and maintain their tenancy, we will support the delivery of cross-agency support services. We will give attention to the specific needs of disabled people and will work to prevent rough sleeping and tackle domestic abuse. We will work with partners to develop and sustain services which achieve these goals. The supply of suitable and affordable homes is key to the success of this strategy, alongside early intervention, prevention of homelessness and keeping people in their own homes where possible. We will take action, harness resources and work in partnership to make more homes available. Raising the level of ambition is critical to reducing the number of children in unsuitable housing and at risk of homelessness, with long-term benefits to the City across Education, Skills, Health and Wellbeing.
52. Provision of good quality housing to meet the range of needs across the City’s residents is recognised as central to the Council’s 2023-27 Plan as part of Core Commitments, Affordability and Health and Wellbeing, and to the vision of “One City, for all”. Important elements of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Economic Strategy are also met by support for vulnerable households at a time of crisis to achieve sustainable housing .
53. The proposed Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2024-2029 establishes a number of objectives:
· The overarching goal of the strategy is to build on existing successful delivery and partnership to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.
· This will be supported by an action plan focussed on key priorities and investment opportunities, including Housing First led system transformation, more affordable homes for client groups with and without children, and high quality homelessness prevention services.
· The strategy will provide a basis for partnership work and strategic partnership development.
· Progress during 2018-23 is considered to inform identification of needs to build on.
· Enhanced performance monitoring, data and governance frameworks.
· Building independence is a core principle of support provision, with services designed to develop people’s skills and capacities and to avoid creating dependence.
· Delivery and outcome monitoring of a distinct offer dependent on local connection status, with the pathways described in this paper developed for individuals with a local connection to the City of York. Alternative resolution options such as supported reconnection with another locality are provided for individuals without local connection status. It may be noted that local connection has a broad definition and encompasses for example, people fleeing domestic abuse who would not be a safe in another area.
54. Key themes inform the Strategy delivery:
Table 2: Strategy themes
|
Ref |
Theme |
Key elements over 2024-29 |
|
1. |
Expansion of Housing First with 250 additional 1-bed tenancies over strategy period |
Expansion of Housing First through a formal partnership investment model to increase revenue funding while maintaining existing CYC budget levels, alongside strategic purchases of suitable flats into the HRA stock and Registered Provider commitment Multidisciplinary Team providing holistic support for service users with complex needs (Table 4), including e.g. dual diagnosis, dependent on partnership contributions and external funding This takes into account core elements of the Resettlement Review recommendations and builds on existing service strengths including the Mental Health Housing First provision |
|
2. |
Resettlement service redesign delivering review recommendations |
Incorporate Resettlement Review recommendations into the new services, including a revised model with Mental Health specialism and considerations of other specialist service areas, within the profile of existing CYC budgets |
|
3. |
Expansion of social housing |
Maximise delivery through Section 106 planning permissions and the council’s Housing Delivery Programme, in addition to work with social housing partners to increase the level of Homes England grant funded investment in the City Priorities informed by the Local Housing Needs Assessment 2022 or successor evidence base document[14] |
|
4. |
Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Sustainment |
Develop City of York Tenancy Sustainment Strategy for CYC as Landlord and in partnership with other Registered Providers in the City and a Supported Housing Strategy. Build on homelessness prevention offer and support high quality early intervention and delivery of Homelessness Reduction Act statutory duties for all households at risk of homelessness |
|
5. |
Tackling Domestic Abuse |
Achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation. Support survivors, prevent homelessness where possible, including preventative work with perpetrators and individuals at risk of becoming perpetrators. |
|
6. |
Revised governance structure and performance framework |
A new governance structure and enhanced data reporting to establish clearly “what success looks like” in the new service delivery model as an effective performance framework. Regular performance review integrated into ongoing service improvement to achieve the strategy objectives. |
55. Key action areas to inform the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan 2024-29 with performance measures and responsibilities to be defined are set out in the Framework below:
Table 3: Strategic Action Plan Framework
|
Theme |
Strategic Actions |
|
1. Expansion of Housing First with 250 additional 1-bed homes over strategy period |
Single households and couples without children · Deliver system transformation through Housing First and rapid rehousing utilising additional homes plan noted above, incorporating best practice research from University of York and national Pilot projects research , with a proposal to prioritise as a York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority project · 250 additional Housing First tenancies, 150 of these through additional social housing 1-bed flats, with further for general needs to 2029/30: through both acquisitions, new build and RP partnerships · Multidisciplinary team including “dual diagnosis” to meet both addiction and mental health needs, and peer support / experts by experience, informed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines and other best practical. |
|
2. Resettlement service redesign delivering review recommendations |
Single households and couples without children · Get the right support in place, tenancy sustainment, maximising contributions from partners and statutory agencies and addressing distinct client groups’ needs, and linking in opportunities such as adult learning, employability, volunteering and other social network development to deliver support in an independence-focused way · Work in partnership with the Police, the York BID and other agencies/stakeholders to support individuals out of ‘street culture’ and manage related impacts · Development of existing pathways to map the system wide responses for each client group, from early intervention through to permanent, sustained accommodation The insourcing of Resettlement systems provides a strong foundation for this ambition[15] |
|
3. Expansion of social housing |
Across both families, and singles/couples · Maximise s106 provision and other additional social housing of the right types of Social and Affordable Rent homes, and fully accessible homes for single people / couples, and families · Increase stock of larger accommodation · Build on needs evidence base to support case for high quality social housing of the right type, in the right places
|
|
4. Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Sustainment |
Across both families, and singles/couples · Build on existing services to further develop Housing Options Toolkit with range of early intervention and homelessness prevention options including for clients with no/lower support needs and those sofa surfing and at risk of homelessness due to local private rent levels
· Develop a Tenancy Sustainment Strategy across all household types and tenures, taking into account context of Local Housing Allowance shortfalls · Develop a Supported Housing Strategy to identify type and scale of needs that would not be met through any other accommodation and a plan to address this over the mid- and long-term, including service transition pathways such as for young people with needs including Learning Disabilities and Autism · Develop a Family Intervention Tenancy Policy to reduce eviction risks for council tenants with complex needs and review tenancy support options for families. · Integrate actions around prevention and tenancy sustainment into the work of the York Drug and Alcohol Partnership, supporting those within housing pathways with addictions into treatment, and taking proactive steps to build tenants’ recovery capital. · Embed long term principles of early intervention and prevention in system wide service design, recognising that for example supporting people to long term independence is essential alongside delivery of statutory homelessness prevention outcomes and metrics · Provision of pathways to sustainable housing that are flexible including capacity to “step up” and “step down”. Long term progress to resolution of homelessness can be non-linear and service design will reflect this. |
|
5. Tackling Domestic Abuse |
Across both families, and singles/couples Achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation with associated actions to reduce homelessness from this cause |
|
6. Revised governance structure and performance framework |
Across both families, and singles/couples · Embed and establish strategic partnerships, governance arrangements/structures to deliver cross-cutting solutions informed a clear performance framework, including with partners additional to the Strategy Group such as York BID · Develop shared Charter of Principles across partners, incorporating learning from national and local good practice including the York Poverty Truth Commission · Embed customer feedback, engagement and consultation including quantitative measures within the service continual improvement approach and performance framework · Incorporate this Framework and the First Year Action Plan items as set out in paragraphs 79.-81. into the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan 2024-29, to be finalised in early 2025 with oversight provided by the Homelessness Strategy Group and senior council officers |
Delivery of Housing First led system transformation for rough sleeping customers
56. Professor Nicholas Pleace and Dr Joanne Bretherton of the University of York explain that “Housing First is a breakthrough in ending homelessness among people with high and complex needs and long-term, or repeated, experience of homelessness.”[16]
57. Development of a clear local model and ambition for Housing First would facilitate additional revenue resourcing of wraparound support through enhanced partnerships with other agencies who work with client groups at risk of homelessness. Further properties could be brought into the scheme through strategic acquisitions and development of suitable properties into council’s asset base, leveraging funding to contribute to long-term sustainability of the Housing Revenue Account, in addition to maximising partner Registered Provider delivery.
58. This will build on the success of this innovation to date including the work developing a Mental Health Housing First pathway. 56 Housing First tenancies for individuals with highly complex needs and at times, challenging behaviour have been delivered since 2015/16, with 37 tenants remaining. This would be supplemented by development of suitable specialist accommodation schemes, for clients with particular needs for supported housing.
59. The transformation would only be possible with significant resource commitment from other partners such as health services. This could be built on a shared ambition and governance framework to deliver the strategic outcomes tackling single homelessness and sustaining effective support pathways.
60. The approach could be summarised as a person centred, 3-strage pathway for homelessness clients:
1. Come indoors – and let's assess what help and support you need.
2. Let's work together to get things sorted – in your own home and with help and support tailored to your needs, delivered through strengths based principles to build independence.
3. Move to normal – achieving your goals and ambitions.
61. This incorporates both Rapid Rehousing and Housing First. It would also use, for the first step in the journey, a hostel-type building for a short period of time based on individual needs, most likely ranging from 7 days to 3 months typically. During this time those with complex and other needs can be assessed/triaged for the tailored package of support to be put in place. This first step, when necessary, will be on a short-term basis and the focus will be to get the individual into their own home, as quickly as possible.
62. Expansion of Housing First through a formal partnership investment model to increase revenue funding, alongside strategic purchases of suitable flats into the HRA stock and Registered Provider commitment. This incorporates core elements of the Resettlement Review recommendations and builds on existing service strengths including the Mental Health Housing First provision. The council’s “Staying Close” pathway for supporting young people with care experience into their first home provides further learning and practical experience to draw on. The approach will be backed up by and evaluated through clear outcomes and performance measures.
63. Housing First has also been approved as a key project proposal for funding bids through the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority. This could be both for revenue support service funding, potentially on a demonstrator/learning basis, and to meet affordable homes growth objectives[17] as well as the Combined Authority’s core commitment to Health and Thriving Communities[18].
64. Some individuals will avoid the first step altogether and move straight to their own home and a support package, if needed. It is likely that these individuals will be those with the less complex or less challenging needs.
65. Another key feature will be that the approach is simple and easy to move through, without unnecessary hurdles or barriers to allow an individual to progress. The model can incorporate specialist support for groups with distinct needs including Housing First for Women, and Housing First for Young People, building on national best practice experience to develop distinct models.
66. Fundamental to this approach will be sorting and tailoring the second step so that, once someone is in their own home, they have a support package which meets their specific needs. The success of the approach would pivot on personalisation. Some individuals at this second step will have low support needs and be of low risk and therefore would be an ideal candidate for floating support. Others will have complex needs, circumstances and/or behaviours that have often been shaped by trauma and whilst they will be in their own home, they will need a strong, trauma-informed and multi-agency support team helping them to settle and progress.
67. The final step of this journey is the ‘move to normal’. This would be determined by the individual but could involve having a job, having links and relationships into the community and fulfilling goals and ambitions. Job skills, confidence building, community volunteering may all be part of this stage. It is also recognised that experience of homelessness can have a lifetime impact and support services could be reengaged without an extended referral process, if needed following this final step.
68. The Housing First proposal would be in alignment with and informed by the University of York (UoY) research evidence base presented in their Background Paper, “Effective Strategies to End Rough Sleeping”. This incorporates the extensive UoY research work on Housing First and evidence-based approaches to tackling rough sleeping. Summaries of “the three main components of a successful rough sleeper strategy” described are:
69. “Using a Housing First model, i.e. rehousing in an ordinary flat/apartment and providing an intensive case management service is effective for high cost, high risk individuals who present with multiple and complex treatment and support needs.”
70. “Homelessness prevention is crucial to an effective rough sleeping strategy” (p6)
71. “Housing First needs housing, it needs to be strategically integrated with health, addiction, mental health and social care services and it needs to be operating within an approach that is preventing homelessness and potential rough sleeping whenever possible.” (p6-7)
72. Resourcing and capacity present a challenge to operationalising the strategies presented by UoY research however the lessons are considered in service planning.
73. This has been informed by University of York research, Housing First pilot research[19], National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidance[20], and informal consultation within the council. It may also be considered a “Team around the Tenant” working on an Assertive Community Treatment basis[21] and fits in with emerging thinking around Health integrated community teams approach and the Council’s development of a Neighbourhood Based Model, learning also from Family Hubs Pilot work.
Table 4: Housing Support Multidisciplinary Team
|
Multidisciplinary Team element |
Responsible partner |
|
Key Worker: For each tenant |
City of York Council |
|
Rough Sleeper Navigators |
City of York Council |
|
Housing Options Prevention Workers |
City of York Council |
|
Clinical Psychologist / Trauma specialist priority access pathway |
TEWV / NHS / ICB |
|
Domestic Abuse support |
IDAS / Public Health Team |
|
Drug & Alcohol / Addiction workers / prescribing nurses or doctors priority access pathway |
Public health Team / ICB |
|
Occupational Therapist priority access pathway |
ICB |
|
Employability Support and Skills |
Led by City of York Council |
|
Offender rehabilitation |
Probation |
|
Peer specialist / experts by experience |
To be confirmed |
|
Welfare benefits advisors – when not already covered by Navigators |
City of York Council |
|
Learning Disabilities or other social worker, offer care needs assessments through access pathway |
City of York Council |
|
Voluntary sector professionals |
Other partners |
|
Access to neighbourhood based ‘hub’ location offering key services such as GP, dentistry and other provision |
Wider partnership |
Housing First Homes Additional Delivery
74. Supporting high needs clients to live in their own homes requires is dependent on delivery of a sufficient supply of 1-bed social housing. This also presents an opportunity as 1-bed flats can be provided making efficient use of land over multiple storeys, and can also have good financial performance when ex-Right to Buy flats are purchased in blocks with CYC freehold ownership.
75. It is proposed to bring properties into the scheme through a number of routes, with detailed estimates shown in Annex A:
· Strategic acquisitions of suitable properties into council’s asset base, leveraging funding including a priority for affordable housing commuted sums secured through the planning system to contribute to long-term sustainability of the Housing Revenue Account
· Increased priority for good quality, appropriate 1-bed properties through the planning system using Section 106 obligations and delivered by partner Registered Providers
· Incorporation of additional 1-bed properties through the council’s Housing Delivery Programme
· A new governance structure to support further engagement with Registered Provider partners
· Allocation of 50% of future general needs City of York 1-bed homes property lets for Housing First customers meeting the assessment and eligibility criteria, with small proportion of newbuild homes expected taking an evidence based approach to community stability and sustainability lettings policies
76. The supply pipeline through these routes is considered in Annex A. Homes used for this service will need to be spread throughout the York communities to avoid clustering and minimise community tension. Further consideration is needed on a development programme but initially a target of 225-250 additional 1-bed flats for Housing First has been identified to 2029/30. This is considered feasible at this stage, based on potential supply of 155 new build 1-bed flats for social/affordable rent in addition to up to 445 existing social housing flats that could be allocated for Housing First. Many of the existing flats would be let to homeless or vulnerable individuals but with less tenancy support available, in the event Housing First expansion is not delivered.
77. Analysis of local stock ownership and lettings data could be used to inform an agreed ‘quota’ approach between CYC and Registered Provider (RP) partners. Particular consideration would be given to the 1-bed homes that are needed for Housing First accommodation and to sustainable locations in a variety of neighbourhoods around the City.
Table 5: General needs social housing stock ownership in the City[22]:
|
|
1-bed |
2+ bed |
Total |
|
City of York Council |
2,536 |
4,469 |
7,005 |
|
Other RPs |
392 |
2,674 |
3,066 |
First year action Plan
78. The Strategy places a strong emphasis upon partnership working and for this reason the year two, and beyond, actions needed to deliver the Strategy will be devised collaboratively, with partners, staff and clients, guided by the Governance Board and approved by Executive Committee in late 2025.
79. First year actions are needed to move us forward towards realising the Strategy and the service pathways set out in it. These actions will be based upon existing, authorised actions, the use of delegated powers and, where necessary, further Executive approvals. First year actions are as follows:
1. Continue to progress the decision of executive committee of 9th of May 2024 to implement the new resettlement pathway to develop residential and supported stroke care solutions for adults based upon early intervention and personalised support.
2. Implement the decision of executive committee of the 9th of May 2024 to Commission support services as needed by the pathway following the transition of the residential elements of the current resettlement service contract, making use of authority delegated to the director of housing and communities in consultation with the head of procurement and the director of governance.
3. Establish the governance board as detailed in this report and authorised by executive committee on the 9th of May 2024.
4. Review the provision of services at 89/91 Scarcroft Rd and subject to the outcome of this review, implement changes which would allow the property to be registered with Ofsted for the provision of support services for young people who need supported accommodation as part of their pathway to independence, as authorised by executive committee on the 9th of May 2024.
5. In light of the progress being made with regard to domestic abuse framework accreditation, review the provision of resettlement support services at Robinson Court, engaging in resident, community and partner consultation to conclude the future nature, shape and location of a residential support service dedicated to the needs of women who have suffered domestic abuse and girls and young women who have suffered violence.
6. Bring forward plans to executive committee in the context of capital investment in new build housing that details opportunities to expand the provision of one bed accommodation, utilising existing developments, section 106 opportunities and the deployment of capital receipts and commuted sums to purchase appropriate accommodation where necessary.
7. Subject to the approval of a capital investment allocation as part of the 2025/26 budget approval process, invest in the upgrade of facilities at the Union Terrace hostel in order to ensure that it meets up to date bathroom standards and will support the triage element of the new rough sleeper accommodation pathway.
80. In respect of the proposed review of Robinson Court, there may still be a need to offer gendered temporary/emergency accommodation for women and girls with complex needs, including those with children. The value of providing a choice of women-only accommodation to those accessing homelessness pathways is recognised in addition to development of a Housing Frist for Women model. This would support the safe accommodation strategy in providing gendered spaces and should be reviewed as a part of the Strategy Action Plan.
Governance
81. It is proposed that a multi-agency Governance Board will be established in order to help guide the Strategy implementation and monitor its outcomes.
82. The Governance Board will comprise of members drawn from the following disciplines and partner organisations:
· Adult Social Care
· Housing and Communities
· Housing, Homelessness & Housing Options Service
· Childrens Social Care
· Public Health
· Primary Care
· Tees, Esk and Wear Valley (TEWV) NHS Mental Health Services Trust
· Integrated Care Board (ICB)
· The Probation Service
· The Police Service
· York Council for Voluntary Service (CVS)
· University of York Centre for Housing Policy
· York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership Chair
83. The Terms of Reference for the Governance board are summarised in Annex C.
84. The Purpose of the Homelessness Strategy Group (HSG) is to oversee the delivery of the local Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy and Action Plan, ensuring it achieves its stated aims and outcomes through the delivery of high quality, appropriate and consistent services which meet the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness across the local housing authority area. In order to achieve this the HSG will support and monitor the implementation of the Homelessness Strategy Action Plan (HSAP).
Proposed governance structure
Performance Measures
85. The aim of the performance frameworks is to:
a) understand demand within the homelessness systems, including pressures within services and need outside services – these are referred to as “demand pressure components”;
b) ensure timely, high quality performance management information informs governance systems and continuous improvement of services;
c) inform future investment needs and redesign opportunities, including building long-term partnerships with resource sharing;
d) highlight successes, and understand areas for improvement; and
e) reduce the staff time needed to produce Committee and management reports, and improve the quality of reports through standardised data reporting.
86. In order to track and measure the impact of the Strategy, the following high-level performance monitoring framework is proposed:
System performance measures
a) Additional Housing First tenancies created across both additional and existing social housing
b) Resettlement hostels: flow through the system, immediate and long-term outcomes
c) Housing waiting list: needs data, waiting times
d) Single Access Point (SAP) applicants / waiting list for services
Statutory and Housing Options measures
e) Initial assessments of statutory homelessness duties owed
f) Number of households assessed and owed a prevention or relief duty [government statistical return reference A1]/
g) Support needs of households assessed as owed a prevention or relief duty [A3]
h) Reason for eligibility of main applicants assessed as owed a prevention or relief duty [A11]
i) Reason for households’ prevention duty ending [P1]
j) Type of accommodation secured for households at end of prevention duty [P2]
k) Main prevention activity that resulted in accommodation secured for households at end of prevention duty [P3]
Statutory homelessness main duty decisions & outcomes
l) Outcome of main duty decision for eligible households [MD1]
Households in temporary accommodation
m) Number of households in temporary accommodation at end of quarter by temporary accommodation type [TA1]
n) Number of households in temporary accommodation at end of quarter by household type [TA2]
o) Average stay per person in hostel/temporary accommodation by accommodation location.
Rough Sleeping measures
p) The number of people sleeping rough who have a local connection status (on a single night and over the course of the month). This is a key local measure of rough sleeping and the effectiveness of this Strategy.
q) The number of new people sleeping rough (on a single night and over the course of the month). This is known as P1.
r) The number of people sleeping rough (on a single night and over the course of the month), known as R1.
s) The number of people sleeping rough over the month who have been sleeping rough long-term, known as B1
t) The number of people returning to sleeping rough, known as NR1
88. We plan to work with Professor Nicholas Pleace of the University of York to help us develop and evaluate the Strategy and its outcomes. They will help us to:
a. Measure the demand for service and the impact of intervention, placing these measurements into a national context.
b. Providing strategic advice to the Partnership Board.
c. Prompting and sharing good practice to assist in service design and evaluation
d. Develop tailored models for client groups such as Housing First for Women and Housing First for Young People, meeting specific needs for these groups
e. Help to promote the York approach to those, and invite their insight to help us grow and develop the service.
Organisational Impact and Implications
89. Organisational Impact and Implications comments are as follows:
· Financial: The strategy primarily recognises the need to provide homelessness services in different ways. There are significant resources available to provide the service both from council budgets and government grants and the proposals will need to be delivered within those resources. The in-sourcing of the resettlement service may provide opportunities for a more efficient consolidated service allowing resources to be diverted to new priorities. Any HRA capital investment in additional 1 bedroom provision will need a separate business case with funding identified and Executive / Council approval as required.
· Human Resources (HR): There are no HR implications contained within this report . However, any impact on the Councils resources and / or structure that arise from implementing the strategy will need to be identified, assessed and implemented in line with Council policy.
· Legal:
o Under the Homelessness Act 2002, all local authorities must publish a homelessness strategy every five years. Failure to produce an up to date strategy opens the Council up to legal challenge. As the previous strategy was published in 2018, guidance has been sought from MHCLG. An up to date strategy must be approved and published as soon as possible.
o The homelessness strategy must be based on a review of homelessness in the local area which complies with the provisions of the Homelessness Act 2002, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Homelessness Code of Guidance. The proposed Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024 meets the requirements set out in this legislation and guidance and there is no legal reason why it should not be adopted.
· Procurement: No comment required.
· Health and Wellbeing: Preventing homelessness is critical to public health. The health of people experiencing homelessness is significantly worse than that of the general population and poor mental and physical health is both a cause and consequence of homelessness. The Public Health team have been involved in the development of this strategy and support these recommendations.
· Environment and Climate action: Homeless and rough sleepers are amongst the most vulnerable groups to the impacts of climate change. This strategy helps alleviate the risks to this group and supports the aspirations of the York Climate Change Strategy.
· Affordability: The recommendations in this report are seeking to mitigate the impact of short to long term homelessness and deprivation exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis and resulting impacts on the health and wellbeing of individuals often with complex circumstances and needs, alongside the lack of affordable homes in York. The report provides residential support solutions for those at risk of homelessness alongside a person-centred approach with early intervention and personalised support with the aim of improving long term outcomes for those individuals and families.
· Equalities and Human Rights: The EIA Appendix D has been agreed by the author with Assistant Director of Customer, Communities and Inclusion.
· Data Protection and Privacy: The data protection impact assessment (DPIAs) screening questions were completed for the recommendations and options in this report and as there is no personal, special categories or criminal offence data being processed to set these out, there is no requirement to complete a DPIA at this time. However, this will be reviewed following the approved recommendations and options from this report and a DPIA completed if required.
· Communications: The strategy is a much-needed document for the City of York, and we anticipate that it will attract much interest. We would work closely with the strategy team to prepare the strategy for launch and comms management throughout the life of the policy with a robust comms plan and relevant support in terms of stakeholder engagement. This will enable preparation for any reactive replies, especially showcasing a joined approach from other related council services.
· Economy: Through the involvement of York BID in the partnership, York’s city centre and wider business community play an active part in supporting the city’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping strategy.
Risks and
Mitigations
90. Homelessness and Rough Sleeping is a complex area of council service provision and statutory obligation. These systems aim to achieve positive outcomes for some of the City’s most vulnerable residents and comprise multiagency partnerships reliant on a wide range of disciplines such as housing tenancy management, skills coaching within hostels, mental health treatment and peer mentoring. As such, uncertainty is significant and substantial risks exist which require complex mitigation approaches.
91. Key risks identified in the proposed Strategy are:
a. Partnership approaches and/or governed are insufficiently successful and adequate resources are not available to provide the multidisciplinary Housing First support packages that have been identified as critical to success
b. The pressures on affordable housing supply continue to increase and it is not possible to identify sufficient properties to meet homelessness needs
c. A higher proportion than anticipated of Housing First customers have needs that are not sufficiently managed within the community and the thresholds for a Housing First offer have to be changed, affecting system wide performance
d. Staffing recruitment and retention challenges undermine the expertise and dedication that is needed for high quality work that is essential to success in this complex area
e. A significant increase in need through government policy developments around asylum seeker accommodation
f. Other national or global factors such as economic, social or medical crises materialise within the Strategy period and restrict available resources or otherwise prevent the attainment of the Strategy actions and objectives
92. These actions can be mitigated to achieve an appropriate level of risk likelihood and impact: by good quality governance arrangements across the partnership and a shared commitment to the Strategy objectives, through programme planning, outcome communication and monitoring, reflexive approaches to embed a rapid learning curve and through provision of sufficient resources through work with partners and external funding bids.
93. Evidence-based decision making and service planning alongside objectives that align with delivery capacity will also be essential to manage the range of risks identified as part of this proposed strategy.
Wards Impacted
94. All Wards are impacted by the decision.
Contact details
For further information please contact the authors of this Decision Report.
Author
|
Name: |
Andrew Bebbington |
|
Job Title: |
Housing Strategy Officer |
|
Service Area: |
Housing |
|
Telephone: |
01904 554351 |
|
Report approved: |
Yes |
|
Date: |
02/12/2024 |
Co-author(s)
|
Name: |
Denis Southall |
|
Job Title: |
Head of Housing Management and Housing Options |
|
Service Area: |
Housing |
|
Telephone: |
01904 551298 |
|
Report approved: |
Yes |
|
Date: |
02/12/2024 |
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations have been used in the report:
CVS – Council for Voluntary Service
CYC – City of York Council
DAHA – Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance
EIA – Equalities Impact Assessment
GP – General Practitioner (of Medicine)
HRA – Housing Revenue Account
HSAP – Housing Strategy Action Plan
HSG – Housing Strategy Group
ICB – Integrated Care Board
IDAS – Independent Domestic Abuse Services
KPI – Key Performance Indicators
LGA – Local Government Association
MHCLG – Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
NHS – National Health Service
RP – Registered Provider (of Social Housing)
SAP – Single Access Point (for the Resettlement pathway)
TEWV – Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Mental Health Services Trust
UoY – University of York
York BID – York Business Improvement District
Background
papers
Future Resettlement Pathway – Building Independence (Item 127), considered by the council Executive on Thursday 9th May.
https://democracy.york.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=14497
The Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Together Strategy 2018-2023, adopted in 2018
https://www.york.gov.uk/HomelessnessStrategy
Annexes
Annex A: 1-bed social housing flats illustrative/potential supply pipeline
Annex B: A summary of the progress made during the 2018-23 strategy period.
Annex C: Summary of Homelessness Strategy Group Terms of Reference
Annex D: Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA)
Annex E: Draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-29