DRAFT City of York Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-29
ANNEX E: Document for approval at City of York Executive Meeting of 12th December 2024
Contents
1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction and Background
3. Context and Evidence Base
4. Strategy Key Principles
4.1 Theme 1: Housing First Led System Transformation
4.2 Theme 2: Resettlement service redesign delivering review recommendations
4.3 Theme 3: Expansion of social housing
4.4 Theme 4: Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Sustainment
4.5 Theme 5: Tackling Domestic Abuse
4.6 Theme 6: Revised governance structure and performance framework
5. Strategic Action Plan Framework and Strategy Review
Annexes to be appended to final document
A. Draft Action Plan Template
B. Detailed Evidence Base
C. Consultation Summary
D. Homelessness Strategy Group TORs
E. Risks, issues, mitigations
F. 2019-23 Strategy Review
1. Executive Summary
This strategy aims to build on existing local delivery strengths to develop a system wide approach that can enlist partners, stakeholders and citizens in a plan to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring over 2024-29.
The approach recognises the value of existing successes and partnerships, establishing pathways to suitable housing that can be sustained with high quality, person-centred support. New partnerships and innovative delivery models are set out within a clear governance and performance framework.
The strategy gives focus and structure to the range of services and initiatives which seek to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping, and respond to its occurrence. This will support individual wellbeing and reduce long term system costs through early intervention and prevention approaches to tackling homelessness that aim to build independence for individuals and households.
The strategy supports the council’s core commitments expressed in the 2023 to 2027 Council Plan[1]: in particular Equality of Opportunity, Health and Wellbeing and Affordability.
Strategy objectives
These objectives are addressed through 6 key themes that structure this strategy and key actions over 2024-29, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Strategy themes
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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 council’s 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 council 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[2]. |
|
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. |
2. Introduction and background
Housing affordability is a key challenge for the City, with an average cost of homes around 9 times higher than average earnings[3] and rent levels that are amongst the highest in the north of England[4].
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”. 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.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines[5] highlights 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.
The council’s Housing Charter[6] 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. 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”.
This strategy proposes an approach with extensive correspondence to a wider neighbourhood based model where multidisciplinary services operate through hubs with practice that is holistic, integrated and well joined up.
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. York’s previous Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Together Strategy 2018-2023 was adopted in 2018. A summary of the progress made during the 2018-23 strategy period is shown in Annex [ ].
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. Over 30 partners were involved in addition to responses received through the council’s public consultation. Further detail is set out in Annex [ ].
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 to the council’s public consultation during October and November 2024.
3. Context and evidence base
The strategy evidence base and key conclusions summarised here are intended to support an evidence-led approach to service development. Quantitative and qualitative knowledge are important for strategic planning and for continual improvement through learning. Detailed data and analysis comprising the full evidence base are shown in Annex [ ], and an overview of consultation in Annex [ ].
Evidence base summary
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Local homelessness duty needs exceed social housing lets Over the past five years total social housing lets in the city have never exceeded 600, while homelessness prevention and relief duty cases average 800. Typically 35-40% of council housing lets are estimated to be for people accommodated through homelessness pathways, including both statutory duties and resettlement routes. Demand is high for most property types, including 1-bed flats, and houses of all sizes. Homelessness duties cannot be met through the social housing sector alone, and early intervention and preventative approaches play a critical role in meeting these needs.
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Private rental accommodation in the City is usually unaffordable for households with low incomes From a review of lower market advertised private rental properties in the City of York in October, none of the 2-4 bedroom homes were affordable within the 2024-25 Local Housing Allowance level. Only 1 of the 1-bed flats was affordable. Average shortfalls are significant and range from £169/month for 1-bed flats to £863/month for 4-bed houses. This acts to effectively prevent the lowest income households from accessing the private rented sector and exacerbates the impact of the cost of living crisis.
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Statutory homelessness data Statutory homelessness has remained stable in recent years, around a typical 250 households owed a relief duty per year. Approximately 20% of these are households with children. 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 restriction 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. Around 160 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.
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Affordable housing delivery and need Annual delivery falls consistently below the assessed annual need of 592 additional affordable homes to meet local need (Local Housing Needs Assessment 2022). By comparison typical additional affordable housing completions range from 100-200 per year.
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Local Temporary Accommodation provision is generally of high quality in the national context City of York Council has a relatively low use of Temporary Accommodation, with use in the Lower Quartile of national rates. The council also lies within the highest proportions of Temporary Accommodation in Local Authority owned hostels, at 83%. As a result households will usually be in good quality Temporary Accommodation with access to additional support. This also greatly reduces the financial pressures that other councils have seen through use of expensive Private Sector Lease and Bed and Breakfast arrangements. However, there is some indication of a potential rising trend with current levels of 80+ households around 20% higher than the pre-pandemic trend of the late 2010s. |
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Resettlement Pathway needs analysis An extensive snapshot evidence gathering exercise was undertaken within the Resettlement Pathway in January 2022, across a total of 323 individuals. This highlights the needs of individuals at risk of rough sleeping or with other complex needs and in the process of resettlement following homelessness[7]. Key needs identified included: · 42% of clients at this time had experienced multiple presentations to the service · 68% had experienced of trauma · 55% had mid-high needs complexity · 32% of clients were female · 27% had medium, high or significant contact with the criminal justice system and 19% had been “in the system” for 10+ years
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Delivery resources The council invests over £2.5m/year budgetary resource into homelessness services, in addition to around £1m grant funding received during 2024/25 through the Rough Sleeping Initiative and the Homelessness Prevention Grant. The government’s 2024 Autumn Budget statement committed to a national increase in grant investment during 2025/26.
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Evidence base: Conclusions 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 local incomes. Consultation responses indicated that support needs and behaviours are not the primary factor in family homelessness 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 that builds independence
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4. Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2024-29: Key Principles
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.
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.”[8]
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. These principles are informed by the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Needs Pyramid model shown below.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping: Needs Pyramid
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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.
The proposed Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy 2024-2029 establishes a number of core 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.
4.1 Theme 1: Housing First Led System Transformation
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.”[9]
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 council’s Housing Revenue Account landlord service, in addition to maximising partner Registered Provider delivery.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Housing First Partnership Approach and Support Model
Expansion of Housing First through a formal partnership investment model to increase revenue funding, alongside strategic purchases of suitable flats into the council’s 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.
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[10] as well as the Combined Authority’s core commitment to Health and Thriving Communities[11].
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 needs.
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.
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.
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.
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:
“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.”
“Homelessness prevention is crucial to an effective rough sleeping strategy” (p6)
“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)
Resourcing and capacity present a challenge to operationalising the strategies presented by UoY research however the lessons are considered in service planning.
A model Multidisciplinary Team providing holistic support for service users with complex needs is shown in Table 2, development and implementation of the model is dependent on partnership contributions and external funding.
This has been informed by University of York research, Housing First pilot research[12], National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidance[13], and the strategy evidence base and consultation. It may also be considered a “Team around the Tenant” working on an Assertive Community Treatment basis[14] 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 2: Housing Support Multidisciplinary Team
|
Multidisciplinary Team element |
Responsible partner |
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Key Worker: For each tenant |
City of York Council |
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Rough Sleeper Navigators |
City of York Council |
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Housing Options Prevention Workers |
City of York Council |
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Clinical Psychologist / Trauma specialist priority access pathway |
TEWV / NHS / ICB |
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Domestic Abuse support |
IDAS / Public Health Team |
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Drug & Alcohol / Addiction workers / prescribing nurses or doctors priority access pathway |
Public health Team / ICB |
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Occupational Therapist access pathway |
ICB |
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Employability Support and Skills |
Led by City of York Council |
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Offender rehabilitation |
Probation |
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Peer specialist / experts by experience |
To be confirmed |
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Welfare benefits advisors – when not already covered by Navigators |
City of York Council |
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Learning Disabilities or other social worker, offer care needs assessments through access pathway |
City of York Council |
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Voluntary sector professionals |
Other partners |
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Access to neighbourhood based ‘hub’ location offering key services such as GP, dentistry and other provision |
Wider partnership |
Acronyms
TEWV: Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV)
ICB: Integrated Care Board
IDAS: Independent Domestic Abuse Services
Supply Pipeline for Housing First Homes
Supporting high needs clients to live in their own homes 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 council freehold ownership.
It is proposed to bring properties into the scheme through a number of routes:
· 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 up to 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
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.
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 3: General needs social housing stock ownership in the City[15]:
|
|
1-bed |
2+ bed |
Total |
|
City of York Council |
2,536 |
4,469 |
7,005 |
|
Other RPs |
392 |
2,674 |
3,066 |
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Key actions Theme 1: Housing First Led System Transformation
· 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.
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4.2 Theme 2: Resettlement service redesign delivering review recommendations
The recommendations of the partnership Resettlement Review[16] exercise will be integrated into the new services delivered by the council, following the 2024-25 insourcing and pathway development of the local Resettlement Hostels, Shared Housing and Floating/Tenancy Support set of contracts. This will incorporate a revised model with Mental Health specialism and considerations of other specialist service areas, within the profile of existing council budgets.
The review took place in 2021-22 and entailed extensive consultation, engagement and data analysis in a sector-wide partnership across the City.
Key recommendations from the review are[17]:
· Build on successes over the pathway’s last 5 years of development, and continue to enhance integration of services across both supported accommodation and floating support
· Improve choice to deliver suitability of accommodation which is less constrained by availability
· Move away from shared accommodation
· Increase capacity for long-term stable accommodation through Housing First, and floating support
· Delivery of specialist Mental Health accommodation within the pathway
· Improved support for transitions such as moving into permanent accommodation
· Enhanced staff skillsets, recruitment and retention with better paid roles, clearer career pathways and capacity to deliver a trauma informed service design
· Consideration of other specialist elements within the pathway such should also be considered
The council has already delivered an important outcome from the review through attracting central government funding and establishing the more intensive support and engagement delivered by the Housing Navigator team. This has led to many entrenched rough sleepers being brought into ongoing contact with resettlement services many of whom have been successful in maintaining Housing First accommodation. This is housing for people with significant and complex needs, with bespoke wraparound support. The review of the pathway has identified that a more intensive first point of contact delivers better outcomes and greater clarity for service users and partners.
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Key actions Theme 2: Delivery of Resettlement Review Recommendations · 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[18] |
4.3 Theme 3: Expansion of social housing
The council’s Housing Delivery Programme and progress with the Local Plan[19] are intended to accelerate delivery of new affordable housing throughout this strategy period, with a priority for rented affordable housing.
To provide additional homes at Social Rent or Affordable Rent at meaningfully affordable levels, multiple approaches support this strategy:
· Development of high quality affordable housing through the council’s Housing Delivery Programme
· Delivery of Section 106 affordable housing through application of Local Plan Policy H10 with a priority for rented affordable homes: comprising types provided that best match identified need in good quality schemes
· Build on existing partnership with Registered Providers to maximise Homes England and other grant funding investment, utilising council land where appropriate alongside other opportunities
· Work with the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority to increase affordable housing delivery through the Growth agenda
Priorities are informed by the Local Housing Needs Assessment 2022 or successor evidence base document[20] and other evidence shown in Annex [ ]. This will include 2-5 bed family houses, 1-beds, and fully accessible bungalows.
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Key actions Theme 3: Expansion of Social Housing
· 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
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4.4 Theme 4: Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Sustainment
To support independence, promote healthy communities and to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring, early intervention and preventative approaches are a foundation of the City of York strategic approach to tackling homelessness.
A preventative approach has been developed within the Housing Options service with full implementation of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017, which extended LA responsibilities and embedded the prevention approach in casework and service delivery.
Housing Options: Prevention Toolkit Outline
The YorHome service and private rented specialist workers based within frontline teams expand access to the private rented sector for households in housing need, and provide some mitigation for the Local Housing Allowance welfare benefits related challenges considered in the strategy evidence base.
We know that opportunities to deliver long-term change for individuals at risk of homelessness often arise outside or prior to engagement with the Housing Options Service. Partnerships and service delivery pathways will be further integrated into a wider neighbourhood based model. Where multidisciplinary services operate through hubs with practice that is holistic, integrated and well joined up this will support forms of tenancy sustainment and homelessness prevention that are highly cost effective, and with significant wellbeing benefits for individuals.
Theme 1, Housing First, is focussed on long term sustainability of accommodation and building independence for residents. It is proposed to develop a City of York Tenancy Sustainment Strategy for the council as landlord and in partnership with other Registered Providers in the City, that will integrate Housing First into a holistic system wide approach addressing tenancy sustainment needs both within and outside of Housing First.
It is also proposed to develop a Supported Housing Strategy. For many households, including those with complex needs, an independence tenancy with appropriate support package will be the option that allows for a successful, socially integrated life. It is also recognised that for other individuals with particular needs types, specialist and supported housing schemes provide an essential environment to achieve wellbeing over either the medium- or long-term.
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Key actions
Theme 4: Homelessness Prevention and Tenancy Sustainment · 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. |
4.5 Theme 5: Tackling Domestic Abuse
The council is working towards Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation. This will integrate a system wide commitment to support survivors and prevent homelessness where possible, including preventative work with perpetrators and individuals at risk of becoming perpetrators.
Analysis of homelessness statistics locally shows that domestic abuse represented 13% of all reasons for approaches in 2023/2024, comparable to national trends. This is likely to be a significant under estimation of need. It is a complex and challenging issue and one that requires a specialist and sensitive response.
Gendered homelessness services provision approach
In the context of progress towards DAHA accreditation, it is intended to 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.
It will be recognised in this review that 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.
It is estimated that “40% of homeless women state domestic abuse as a contributory factor to their homelessness.”[21] Support following experience of Domestic Abuse is a key element in provision of gendered services including women-only hostels and Housing First for Women.
North Yorkshire and City of York Domestic Abuse Strategy 2024-28
The implementation of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 strengthened the duties of local authorities, requiring them to conduct an assessment of local needs and commission dedicated safe accommodation and support services for their communities.
The North Yorkshire and City of York Domestic Abuse Strategy 2024-28 supports the preventative, independence-building approach of this strategy with a long-term vision tackling domestic abuse and supporting victims:
“We will not tolerate domestic abuse within North Yorkshire and York, and we will strive to ensure everyone can live free from abuse and harm. We will create an environment where healthy relationships are the norm and where victims, survivors and their children have access to the right support at the right time.
Domestic abuse is everybody’s business. We will work collaboratively to create lasting change across all our communities with the voice of the victim at the heart of our response; and where perpetrators of abuse are held accountable for their behaviour.”[22]
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Key actions Theme 5 Tackling Domestic Abuse
· Achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance accreditation with associated actions to reduce homelessness from this cause |
4.6 Theme 6: Revised governance structure and performance framework
The multi-agency Governance Board, the Homelessness Strategy Group, will be established in order to help guide the Strategy implementation and monitor its outcomes.
The Homelessness Strategy Group (HSG) 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
The Terms of Reference for the HSG are summarised in Annex [ ].
The Purpose of the 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
The aim of the performance frameworks is to:
· Understand demand within the homelessness systems, including pressures within services and need outside services – these are referred to as “demand pressure components”
· Ensure timely, high quality performance management information informs governance systems and continuous improvement of services
· Inform future investment needs and redesign opportunities, including building long-term partnerships with resource sharing
· Highlight successes, and understand areas for improvement
· Reduce the staff time needed to produce Committee and management reports, and improve the quality of reports through standardised data reporting
· Build performance review integration into ongoing service improvement to achieve the strategy objectives
· 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 performance measures.
In order to track and measure the impact of the Strategy, the following high-level performance monitoring framework is proposed:
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1. 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 |
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2. Statutory and Housing Options measures a) Initial assessments of statutory homelessness duties owed b) Number of households assessed and owed a prevention or relief duty [government statistical return reference A1]/ c) Support needs of households assessed as owed a prevention or relief duty [A3] d) Reason for eligibility of main applicants assessed as owed a prevention or relief duty [A11] e) Reason for households’ prevention duty ending [P1] f) Type of accommodation secured for households at end of prevention duty [P2] g) Main prevention activity that resulted in accommodation secured for households at end of prevention duty [P3] h) Outcome of main duty decision for eligible households [MD1] i) Households in temporary accommodation j) Number of households in temporary accommodation at end of quarter by temporary accommodation type [TA1] k) Number of households in temporary accommodation at end of quarter by household type [TA2] l) Average stay per person in hostel/temporary accommodation by accommodation location. |
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3. Rough Sleeping measures a) 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. b) The number of new people sleeping rough (on a single night and over the course of the month) [P1] c) The number of people sleeping rough (on a single night and over the course of the month) [R1] d) The number of people sleeping rough over the month who have been sleeping rough long-term, known as [B1] e) The number of people returning to sleeping rough, known as [NR1] |
Evaluations of the Strategy and its outcomes is an important aim, including work with specialist partners and organisations. This will help us to:
· Measure the demand for service and the impact of intervention, placing these measurements into a national context.
· Providing strategic advice to the Partnership Board.
· Prompting and sharing good practice to assist in service design and evaluation
· Develop tailored models for client groups such as Housing First for Women and Housing First for Young People, meeting specific needs for these groups
· Help to promote the York approach to those, and invite their insight to help us grow and develop the service.
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Key actions Theme 6: Revised governance structure and performance framework · 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 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 |
5. Strategic Action Plan Framework and Strategy Review
Table 4 shows the strategy actions sets out the key actions for each Theme that will inform the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan 2024-29. This will be finalised in early 2025 for approval by the Homelessness Strategy Group (HSG).
The HSG will have oversight of the strategy implementation and delivery, and will review and maintain the Action Plan.
A progress review will be presented to the council’s Executive in late 2025 to report on delivery successes and challenges, and learning that may inform updates to the strategy to enable continual improvement through the 2024-29 period within the overarching strategic principles described here.
Table 4: Strategic Action Plan Framework
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Theme |
Strategic Actions |
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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 practice. |
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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[23] |
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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
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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. |
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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 |
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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 the [ report and reference ] 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 |