Homelessness jumps in Greenwich borough
The number of people homeless in Greenwich borough leapt last year under latest figures released.
The number of households in temporary accommodation rose from 740 in Q1 to 909 in Q2. Not only is this distressing for those placed in B&Bs but it costs taxpayers huge amounts.
As seen, the number of households accepted as homeless rose from 123 to 287. And this applies to households – many single people will receive little help and end up on the streets.
Council staff are bracing themselves for a further jump in numbers after universal Credit was introduced in the borough at the end of 2018.
They did good work over the period and managed to prevent homeslessness in 478 cases – up from 215 in Q1. Also, 38.27% were re-housed which was an increase from 32.98%.
Land sell off
Whilst this was happening the council were controversially attempting to push through sell-offs of public land at three sites to Pocket Living for private micro flats.
It has now been halted on two out of three plots – but land at Charlton Heights is still due to be sold.
The council argue income would be invested in new social homes – but opponents argue that is time consuming when need is immediate and Greenwich would gain better value and speed up the process of providing needed homes by building directly on council land.
It is now revealed they are looking into modular building but sites are not known. Lewisham Council have done so in Ladywell and are now planning the same in Deptford.
Central Govermnet have also placed tight restrictions on local authorities building new homes.
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Yet the council is sitting on millions in s106 receipts and is refusing to use the Meridian Homes vehicle to alleviate the problem for those on the waiting list or to help the homeless.
… yet at the same time pushing dubious developments by Pocket Living; which have no impact on the housing shortage as they aren’t even remotely affordable to local working people, never mind anyone who might be on the housing list.
It sure is ‘curious’ that they’re so keen to support this developer. I wonder why?
I agree a lot more needs to be done to provide more social housing. Building on land own by the Council would speed the process up.
If your single and working than your not a priority for social housing and told to find private rented accomodation which cost much more and many cannot afford.
A lot of single people without children working full time are not entitled to extra financial help like housing benefit or tax credits so struggle to pay private rents.
If people who are homeless come to Greenwich from elsewhere. More needs to be done to work with Local Authority they lived in previously to see if they can be reunited with their families or housed in the Borough they originally came from There would be special exceptions to this where it is not safe for the person to return to the area they left. We need to understand more why people are homeless.