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Recent releases
Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee will be asked to agree to nearly £100k investment to develop the Housing First Pilot.
Housing First focuses on priority support for a person who is experiencing homelessness, transferring them into permanent accommodation as quickly as possible, without any preconditions around addictions or mental health treatment.
The Scottish Government view Housing First as one of the main building blocks in their ‘Ending Homelessness Together’ Strategy and key to the success of the project is the provision of consistent support based on the service user’s requirements for as long as necessary. In order to resource this additional expenditure, it is proposed to use funding from an existing Housing Support contract which ended in April 2020. The value of this contract was £98,254 per annum and Members are asked to agree reallocating this annual budget to the development of the Housing First programme. It is anticipated that further funding and resourcing requirements will be met on a joint basis by the partner organisations.
The number of repeat homeless cases recorded across the region are reducing. Actions around early prevention and joint working with colleagues across the Council and other agencies are having a positive impact.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic it has been necessary to significantly increase the number of temporary accommodation units, but the Council has acted quickly, and an additional 90 units have been added to meet needs. It is anticipated that the ongoing health and financial impacts of the pandemic will see a sustained higher demand for Housing Options and Homeless services. Therefore, the Council is putting measures in place to ensure continued provision of temporary accommodation and response to any local lockdown measures.
Chair of Communities Committee, Andy Ferguson said:
“No one should be homeless in this day and age and we will do all it can to ensure that no one is left without a roof over their head. Our first priority is to get people off the streets and safe, it’s only then that we can start to address the causes and find solutions to problems.”
Vice Chair, John Martin said:
“People find themselves without accommodation for various reasons: changes in their financial circumstances, mental health problems, troubles within their existing homes and families, we’re here to support those in need. Finding someone safe accommodation should hopefully be the first step to a more secure future for that person.”
If you are affected by homelessness visit: https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15280/Help-for-homeless-people
