Agenda item - Housing First

Report of Executive Director for Health & Adult Social Care (copy attached).

(1)            That the contents of the report which is provided for information only, is noted.

(2)            That this report is referred to the Health and Wellbeing Board, for consideration of successes achieved by Housing First in terms of wellbeing outcomes and overall cost-effectiveness, and to explore the identification of resources in collaboration with the CCG in order to be able to contribute to its expansion in 2018/19.

(3)            That this report is referred to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee, to consider identifying the necessary budget to contribute to expansion of Housing First.

(4)            That a future Housing & New Homes Committee receive further information indicating options to enable housing providers to make suitable properties available to expand provision of Housing First accommodation.    

69.1   The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Health & Adult Social Care which was provided as a response to a request at the 14^th June 2017 meeting for a follow up report outlining the effectiveness and progress with the Housing First approach to housing rough sleepers. The Committee had also agreed that a further report be undertaken to identify the potential savings across the council and other public service providers that are achievable from using additional properties from Housing First. It had been further agreed that this report was completed by January 2018, in order that any savings identified could inform the budget process of 2018/19. The report was presented by the Commissioning & Performance Manager.

69.2    Councillor Bell referred to the legal implications in paragraph 5.2 and asked for clarity as to which committee had responsibility for Housing First.  The Senior Lawyer explained that major funding decisions would be considered by the Health & Wellbeing Board, however as the report considered homelessness which was clearly within the remit of Housing & New Homes Committee it was appropriate for members to receive reports on the agenda.  The Health & Wellbeing Board was a service committee to the extent that it was able to make decisions. 

69.3   Councillor Gibson raised the following questions/issues:

• What was the average time rough sleepers seeking accommodation had to wait on the streets, bearing in mind the government’s goal of no second night out? The last figure Councillor Gibson had seen was about three months.
• Three things could help to reduce rough sleeping. i)  That people out on the streets were given a greater priority for the limited housing that exists in hostels & supported housing. ii) That there is a greater supply of supported accommodation  iii) That there is more move on accommodation at the end of the pathway homeless people travelled along, and more Housing First accommodation for those people that are described as revolving door homeless and never make it along the pathway. 
• What types of accommodation might be suitable for housing people under a Housing First model as being operated at the moment in the city? 

69.4   The Commissioning & Performance Manager responded as follows:

• It was difficult to answer the question about the average wait on the streets. People would wait a different length of time based on their priority and their needs.  For example, if someone had a dog they tended to wait longer as there were not so many hostels that would take dogs. People who needed level access also waited longer as there was less suitable accommodation available. Some people waited three months and others waited significantly longer.
• All the suggestions made by Councillor Gibson would reduce rough sleeping.
• With regard to the type of types of accommodation which might be suitable for housing people under a Housing First Model, it had been found that some people found the Housing First fidelity model quite difficult.  This model provided dispersed accommodation across a geographical area in the local communities. Some Housing First clients become lonely and did not make friends in those locations. Officers wanted to trial the congregate Housing First Model which had been used in Scandinavian countries. These were self contained units in a block or in a locality where people would be able to integrate and keep contact with other homeless people.  However, there was still a need for self contained dispersed accommodation.

69.5   Councillor Moonan stated that Housing First played an important part in the range of  homeless services. She agreed that all of the suggestions made by Councillor Gibson would address rough sleeping which was why all of those things were in the Rough Sleeping Strategy.  The model worked well internationally and in the city and Councillor Moonan was pleased to see some of the life changing outcomes as set out in paragraphs 3.10 and 3.15 of the report. The model was working and was cost effective. There were challenges in the city in finding suitable accommodation whether it was dispersed or congregate.  Both types were needed and this was something the council was working hard to achieve. Councillor Moonan agreed that it would be good to expand the Housing First model and hoped that there would be positive progress to report in due course.

69.6   Councillor Wealls referred to some of the questions asked by the public earlier on in the meeting and asked what was holding back progress in implementing Housing First more quickly. He asked if the problem was finding suitable sites rather than the financial model.

69.7   The Commissioning & Performance Manager responded by explaining that the commissioning budget included money spent on the Housing First model; however, there was no spare money. Therefore it was impossible to expand any of her services. The Chair stressed the Health & Wellbeing Board would need to consider whether they wanted to expand that model, as it was funded via the Board. 

69.8   Councillor Bell welcomed the current report which had been requested by the committee, but did not think it was going far enough. Councillor Bell stated that he would like to see a further report showing where the problems were, who was blocking progress and how the council could improve the situation by providing more accommodation for people who needed it. He stressed that a further strategy report was required setting out decision making policies which could improve people’s lives.

69.9   Councillor Gibson stressed that Housing First clearly worked and cost an average of £10,000 per person in terms of homeless support, yet a homeless person cost around £25,000 according to the New Economics Foundation report.   This was a cost saving for the public purse.  Councillor Gibson set out the following amendment which was seconded by Councillor Druitt as follows: 

          “To insert new recommendations as shown below in bold italics;

(1)            2.2 That this report is referred to Health and Wellbeing Board, for consideration of successes achieved by Housing First in terms of wellbeing outcomes and overall cost-effectiveness, and to explore the identification of resources in collaboration with the CCG in order to be able to contribute to its expansion in 2018/19

2.3 That this report is referred to Policy, Resource and Growth committee, and that the committee is requested to call for a further report to consider identifying the necessary budget to contribute to expansion of Housing First

2.4 That a future Housing and New Homes Committee receive further information indicating options to enable housing providers to make suitable properties available to expand provision of Housing first accommodation.”

69.10 The Committee voted on the amendment which was agreed unanimously. The Committee then voted on the substantive recommendation which was agreed unanimously along with the addition of 2.2 to 2.4 as set out above.

69.11RESOLVED:-

(1)      That the contents of the report which is provided for information only, is noted.

(2)            That this report is referred to the Health and Wellbeing Board, for consideration of successes achieved by Housing First in terms of wellbeing outcomes and overall cost-effectiveness, and to explore the identification of resources in collaboration with the CCG in order to be able to contribute to its expansion in 2018/19.

(3)            That this report is referred to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee, and that the committee is requested to call for a further report to consider identifying the necessary budget to contribute to expansion of Housing First.

(4)            That a future Housing & New Homes Committee receive further information indicating options to enable housing providers to make suitable properties available to expand provision of Housing First accommodation.