Have you or friends or family faced homelessness?
With spiralling local rents and the increasing cost of living, are you concerned about how you or others can put a roof over your heads?
Now is your chance to have your say on how the Isle of Wight Council plans to prevent and relieve homelessness over the next three years with the launch today (Tuesday) of a public consultation.
The Island is currently in the midst of a housing crisis. A recent needs analysis highlights an 82 per cent reduction in the number of private properties available to rent on the Island.
Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy
In 2019, the council launched its Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy with a bold ambition to end homelessness on the Island.
It includes a range of commitments, intended both to help those who are sleeping on our streets or currently at risk of doing so, and to lay the foundations for a system focused on prevention, early intervention, and a rapid rehousing approach to recovery.
While good progress has been made with a number of successful schemes and projects making a real difference to people’s lives, the council says more needs to be achieved to ensure everyone on the Island has a suitable, safe and stable place they can call home.
A new delivery plan for 2022-2024
Working closely with partners, the council has developed a new delivery plan for 2022-2024 — a document outlining actions to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping on the Island, focusing on prevention, intervention and recovery.
Proposals include:
- improving early intervention and targeted prevention measures to identify households at risk much earlier while also ensuring suitable support is put in place;
- introducing a variety of new packages to assist residents seeking to access the private rented market;
- supporting those in temporary accommodation and rough sleeping to enable faster identification of suitable private rented and social housing options;
- working with landlords and housing providers to maximise the range of affordable and sustainable accommodation available for those who are or become homeless;
- assisting households within social homes to RightSize to homes that better meet their needs to address under occupation and overcrowding;
- using all available powers to being empty properties back into use.
Don’t miss the deadline
The council is encouraging people to have their say on the aims, principles and actions of the delivery plan by taking part in a public consultation which runs until Wednesday, 23rd March 2022.
Full details can be found on the Council’s Website.
Stephens: “Your views really matter”
Cllr Ian Stephens, deputy leader and Cabinet member for housing needs, said,
“Your views really matter.
“By taking part in this consultation you can help to inform us of potential changes that may be required to ensure we are able to combat homelessness and rough sleeping well into the future.”
A Cabinet paper on the homelessness strategy and delivery plan is due to go before councillors in the summer.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
