Ten empty properties in County Durham could be brought back into use as part of a pilot project to help people facing homelessness.
Next week, Durham County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve a capital request for £500,000 to buy and refurbish the properties, which will be leased to those in housing need.
As well as helping people facing homelessness, the project will reduce the number of empty homes in the county. This is a key priority for the council as high levels of empty and neglected houses can have a negative effect on communities, often attracting anti-social behaviour, spoiling the local environment and affecting property prices.
If approved, the purchased properties would remain council assets and would be leased to organisations that specialise in helping people affected by homelessness to secure and maintain tenancies.
In the future, if this pilot project is a success, a further bid for capital funding will be made to allow more empty homes to be renovated for this purpose. The council has also applied for Government grants, and it is hoped the initial £500,000 investment will attract further funding from partner organisations such as the police, probation service and clinical commissioning groups.
Cllr Kevin Shaw, the council’s Cabinet member for strategic housing and assets, said: “This is a really worthwhile project as it has the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives.
“It not only helps those in housing need, including families in crisis, but it will reduce the number of empty homes in County Durham. These are both key priorities for us and form part of our Strategic Housing Plan.”
The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 placed new legal duties on local authorities to ensure everyone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness has access to meaningful help, irrespective of their priority need status, as long as they are eligible for assistance.
So far, in 2018/2019, more than 47 households have been placed in bed and breakfast accommodation.
If these properties were available, these families and individuals could have been placed into suitable accommodation with the support they need at a much earlier opportunity.
Cabinet will be asked to support the allocation of £500,000 capital funding when it meets at the Glebe Centre in Murton, near Seaham on Wednesday, 16 January. Councillors will also be asked to agree to receive regular progress reports.