Decision details

In Sheffield, over the previous year there have been 144 rough sleepers counted in the monthly headcounts. Of these 44 are of medium needs and 23 ready for move on accommodation. Each month there has been an average of 9 rough sleepers who are not repeats. We would therefore expect to see a further 108 new rough sleepers over the next year. We would expect based on the current picture that around 18 would need move on. We have also made an estimate that 6 people would be ready for move on who are currently in emergency accommodation based on a current snapshot.  The below shows the yearly estimates:
Year 1: 47
Year 2: 71
Year 3: 48
Year 4: 48
Year 5: 48

We propose that we will set up a Private Sector Leasing (PSL) scheme for 15 rough sleepers.

We know private landlords in Sheffield are keen to lease the council their property at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rents of which the council can recover back a large amount of. We understand we will get 90% of the 2011 LHA rates as subsidy from Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) as subsidy.
Other costs are for private contractors for cleaning and repairs and maintenance of which a procurement and tendering exercise has taken place for a similar scheme which we can use as well for this model.
We will use the Council’s Furnished Team to furnish the properties and replace furniture from them too if required. We are requesting funds for 2 x Tenancy Support Workers for 15 units and not claiming for any other staffing costs but will cover additional costs for staffing within our current staffing structure. We have an existing PRS scheme and will utilise staff with experience and knowledge in the field to support this scheme. We will provide extra staffing resource ourselves to ensure the management, procurement of property, property inspections and monitoring of rents, contractors’ invoices and payments are all dealt with efficiently. We will draw on the Personalisation Fund funded by RSI 4 and if required we can use TSW from Housing First project who will have the relevant skills and experience to work with rough sleepers

This is a VFM model, and an option put forward by MHCLG. We have existing links with private landlords though the Private Rented Solutions team and we know they are keen on the PSL model.

That the Executive Member for Housing, Roads and Waste Management:

1. That the Executive Director of Place be authorised to accept the grant funding from Homes England in sum of £228,400 to meet the aims and objectives of this report and approve expenditure of this grant.

2. Accept the grant funding for staffing support from DLUCH of up to £175,126 to meet the aims and objectives of this report and approve expenditure of this grant.

3. Delegate authority to Executive Director of Place in consultation with the Director of Finance and Commercial Services and the Director and Legal and Governance to enter into such grant agreements.

4. Approve authorisation to enter into the necessary individual leases with private landlords subject to the approval of the CPO and the associated non-secure tenancy agreement to the occupant subject to the approval of the Director of Housing.

There is an identified need in Sheffield to offer move-on accommodation to rough sleepers in the city to support them and get them ready for independent living. The Council have the links to the private rented sector embedded within the Private Rented Solutions team and this service will be an extension of that whilst providing another housing option for some of the most vulnerable people in the city. The Council has been successful with receiving the grant funding and now needs to get the approval to accept and spend so that 15 units can be set up and ready to let by the end of March 2022.

All options available for the funding put forward by the DLUHC and partnership working with Registered providers and Private Sector Lease agreements are the two which the Council could deliver on within the set timescales. Another round of funding has since been announced and the Council are looking to submit another bid to get funding to rehouse more rough sleepers. A steering group has been set up and discussions around how to deliver have begun.