£1 million war chest to tackle West Midlands homelessness announced
A £1 million war chest has been announced to tackle homelessness across the region.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said money from the the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant (RSPARG) programme will provide support for 700 people sleeping rough, at risk of losing their home, or living in temporary and insecure housing.
A total of 16 projects will be funding by the grant and Mr Parker visited one of them – Move On, which is run by Citizen from the Gateway housing scheme in Coventry – which is helping homeless people turn their lives around.
Other projects supported by the region’s RSPARG funding include targeted help for care leavers and women, as well as work with landlords and housing associations to identify tenants at risk before they reach the point of homelessness.
Steve, 59, from Coventry, told the Mayor how he arrived at The Gateway after being evicted from a shared house.
With support from Citizen, he has overcome personal challenges and is now living independently in his own flat.
He is also chairman of Gateway Link, a group of current and former Gateway residents who run social activities and use their skills to support each other, from decorating and DIY to helping with removals when they move into their own homes.
He said: “Before I came to The Gateway, I was in shared accommodation, surrounded by people drinking and taking drugs, and I’d become a product of my environment.
“But now I’ve got a far superior support network than I’ve ever, ever had in my life thanks to The Gateway.
“Helping others through the Gateway Link has given me a sense of purpose, direction and satisfaction in my own life.
“When I was asked to be the chairman, I thought, someone believes in me. Without that shred of belief I would be on the streets, drinking and taking drugs.”
Mr Parker said: “Hearing Steve’s story left me in no doubt about the devastating impact that being homeless can have on someone’s life and how a safe, secure home underpins everything.
“Without it, health, confidence and opportunity can quickly unravel.
“That’s why I’m using this funding to give more people like him and the others I met at The Gateway the hope they need to get themselves back on their feet.
“It’s already changed their lives for the better and will do the same for many more.
“But designing out homelessness also means having enough safe, affordable homes and alongside this funding we’re also making really good progress in building more social housing than ever, with 2,000 new homes already in the pipeline and more to come.”
There are currently 7,000 households living in temporary accommodation and the number of people sleeping rough across the West Midlands Combined Authority area remains at around pre-pandemic levels.
