Coventry City Council to buy and refurbish 50 properties to support homeless families
The council wants to provide more larger homes for families who end up on the streets
Councillors are backing plans to buy properties to provide more larger homes for families who find themselves homeless in Coventry.
The city council will buy 50 houses in total, amounting to £13m, providing three or more bedrooms properties for temporary accommodation.
Councillor David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities said the aim is to turn HMOs into family homes, adding: “We are implementing an Article 4 direction to limit the numbers of HMOs which are concentrated in certain areas of the city.
“This latest scheme will help us refurbish HMOs into family homes. It will improve neighbourhoods especially where there is currently a high ratio of HMOs.
“It’s a really important programme and is another tool available to us to provide the best possible support to people and families who find themselves homeless.
“It highlights our commitment to provide the right accommodation to match housing need.”
Cabinet agreed the programme at its meeting on Tuesday. The report will go to full Council on 22 March.
The first phase will involve the purchase of 25 homes costing £6m.
Latest figures suggest there are around 330 families in temporary accommodation. Of these 83 are in either three or four bedroom properties, and it's believed that number is likely to increase.
Cllr Welsh added: “We don’t have any families who are homeless in B and B accommodation. Finding more suitable well managed temporary accommodation has been more cost effective.
“This new scheme to buy and provide larger family homes will reduce costs, and most importantly improve supply.
“By acquiring the properties as a Council more of the housing benefit can be claimed which means we can reinvest in the housing and homeless services.”