300 rough sleepers moved into accommodation through West Midlands pilot scheme
More than 300 people with a history of rough sleeping have been helped off the streets and into their own accommodation thanks to the West Midlands Housing First pilot.
The programme is overseen by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Homelessness Taskforce.
It is headed up by Birmingham City Council alongside local authorities in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Solihull, in partnership with housing providers and homelessness charities across the region.
Housing First is a government-funded initiative of £9.6 million over three years which aims to help people with a long history of rough sleeping by providing a home and the wrap-around support individuals need to rebuild their lives and stay in their accommodation.
In the West Midlands, individuals are also given a small budget to make their new homes their own thanks to pilot funding and money donated through the Change into Action scheme. Latest figures show that thanks to the scheme 326 individuals have been supported into a place they can call home.
Milestone
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands said, “This is an important milestone for Housing First and proof that the scheme is having an impact. There is no doubt that this achievement has contributed to us reducing the number of rough sleepers across the region.
“Providing homes and support for people experiencing rough sleeping is a key priority and I look forward to seeing more people benefitting from Housing First across the region.
Councillor Sharon Thompson, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for homes and neighbourhoods, and chair of the WMCA Homelessness Taskforce Members Advisory Group, said, “This achievement is a real game changer and is the result of the hard work that has been put into this scheme across the West Midlands.
"However, we won’t stop here – there is still more to be done to get more people off the streets and back into society.”
Jean Templeton, chair of the WMCA’s Homelessness Taskforce, added: “This milestone is a wonderful achievement. Housing First provides a necessary and important step to getting vulnerable people off the streets and into long term accommodation with the right support.”
