Housing Strategy & Homelessness

Unmet demand for good quality, affordable housing has never been higher. Local housing authorities and their partners have struggled to deliver within an economic and political climate that forces hard choices between investing in current housing stock and developing new homes.

The result is that more people are facing homelessness and there are rising levels of rough sleeping. Despite the success of ‘Everyone In’ during the pandemic, the number of rough sleepers has increased again to 74% above 2010 levels.

Strategy Development

Well-informed housing and homelessness strategies, with clear ambitions based on realistic resources and timeframes, can create the right environment for meeting the needs of communities. If capacity issues are preventing strategies from being developed in-house, we can provide expert support and guidance.

With our breadth of knowledge in the housing field, we are the partner of choice.

We have significant experience in supporting clients to develop housing and homelessness strategies that are fit for purpose, based on appropriate evidence and formulated with full engagement of stakeholders. We have recently worked with Gloucester City Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council in developing their local strategies for housing and homelessness. Through extensive engagement with partners, analysis of local data and consultation with stakeholders and the wider public, both clients can be confident that their strategic objectives and delivery plans are robust, realistic and meet the needs of their communities.

Preventing and Resolving Homelessness and Rough Sleeping

Many local systems are experiencing immense pressure with high numbers of people seeking assistance because they are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Near record levels of statutory homelessness and those owed a prevention duty are driving changes to the way we respond. National policy and potential funding give some opportunity to develop new, innovative solutions. We can provide the expertise and capacity you need to make rapid progress in partnership development, planning and delivery of these solutions.

In recent years, we have facilitated many projects including:

• A county-wide strategy to tackle homelessness and temporary accommodation across Nottinghamshire.
• Facilitating a partnership approach to self-assessment and submission of bids for funding through the rough sleeper initiative for the Gloucestershire Partnership.
• Development of a whole system approach to resolving needs and enabling ‘Better Futures’ for those with multiple disadvantages across Somerset.
• Fundamental service review of homelessness service in a district council