Proposed £1.5m cash boost to temporary accommodation for Portsmouth people at risk of homelessness

Portsmouth City Council is proposing to spend the £1.5m on new temporary homes, with the right facilities, so it can match more people with the kind of housing they need, while a solution is found for their needs.

A rise in the number of people needing support has put pressure on the supply of temporary accommodation and has increased costs.

Councillor Darren Sanders, cabinet member for housing, said: ‘Helping people facing homelessness is a top priority of this council and I'm delighted that we're proposing to invest yet more money to tackle this long-term issue.

‘Already people are spending 40 per cent less time in temporary accommodation than last year. However, we know we must do more. B&Bs and hotels are less than ideal for families, in particular. This council is keen to tackle this issue, and these plans will help.’

Options include refurbishing council-owned buildings to provide 35 units of accommodation for single people and couples, with kitchen and laundry facilities, plus support services.

For families, the council is looking to buy more properties to use for self-contained accommodation. It already has 54 units of this type of accommodation, and will have 23 more when Albion House, a new council development in Southsea, is complete later this year.

The new spending would build on the £1m already spent on buying homes for the homeless in the council's current budget, increasing support services to help rough sleepers find settled homes, and improving the way private renting works for people who struggle to afford it.

The local authority provides temporary accommodation for about 150 households.

The £1.5m spending plan will be considered at the full council budget meeting on February 11.