Posted 22.07.19
Local Government Association: Further reading
The Local Government Association (LGA) warns that more than 300 children face becoming homeless during the school holidays this summer as a result of the housing crisis.
The number would exceed the size of an average primary school.
The severe shortage of social rented homes available to house families in means councils have no choice but to place households into temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfasts.
As part of its Councils Can campaign, the LGA wants the new Prime Minister and his government to introduce a range of measures to help councils tackle homelessness and to give them the tools and powers to resume their historic role as major housebuilders of good, quality affordable homes for social rent.
It says councils should be allowed to keep 100 per cent of receipts of council homes sold under Right to Buy - to reinvest in new replacement homes - and to also be able to set Right to Buy discounts locally.
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Posted 19.07.19
Mayor of London: Further reading
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is boosting the number of outreach workers through a new 'rapid response team', which will help rough sleepers off the streets all year round when members of the public use the Streetlink app to identify people they are concerned about.
The new dedicated 'rapid response team' will operate in 23 London boroughs, with City Hall providing additional funding to specifically support local arrangements in the remaining 10.
The team will be deployed in response to reports of rough sleepers made by Londoners using the Streetlink app, providing faster support to those on the street.
By responding to new reports of rough sleepers, the new team will help free up existing outreach teams to focus on helping those who have been living on the streets for a long time and have complex needs.
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