Chichester getting more than £500,000 to provide long-term housing for rough sleepers
New funding is being given by the Government.
New funding is being given by the Government for long-term homes for rough sleepers and other vulnerable people in Chichester.
The district council will receive £501,608 for local schemes that provide secure ‘move on’ style accommodation for people at risk of sleeping on the streets.
Longer-term housing projects across England are receiving more than £150 million to deliver more than 3,300 secure homes by the end of March 2021, as part of the Government’s £433 million investment to deliver 6,000 new homes for rough sleepers by 2024.
The new funding builds on the ‘Everyone In’ campaign, which was launched at the start of the pandemic and has supported more than 29,000 vulnerable people.
This includes in Chichester, where every rough sleeper was offered temporary accommodation in Chichester’s Travel Lodge or Butlins in Bognor Regis.
The council is said to have engaged with the homeless population in Chichester thanks to outreach workers, who work all year round to engage with those sleeping rough to help get them the support they need.
In total, 276 schemes have been approved across England, alongside £91.5 million in grant funding given to councils to support vulnerable people and provide short term accommodation over the coming months, and a £10 million Cold Weather Fund to support winter shelters and make sure they are Covid-secure.
Gillian Keegan, MP for Chichester, has welcomed the funding:
"There are not many things to be thankful for as a result of the global pandemic, but one silver lining is that we’ve been able to find, shelter, and support our most vulnerable people.
"Since the onset of the pandemic, the whole community came together to provide food and shelter for homeless people.
"Countless pubs, restaurants, food retailers and local businesses donated food, much of which was made into hot meals by volunteers from Stonepillow, Chichester District Council and the community.
"This lasted throughout lockdown and since then the government has been working with our local councils to put a permanent solution in place.
"This funding announcement will support those currently in temporary accommodation via the ‘Everyone In’ campaign to soon be able to access long-term, secure housing, which will be a huge step towards getting life back on track."
Meanwhile Alan Sutton, cabinet member for housing, licensing, communications and events at Chichester District Council, said:
"The award of this funding, together with additional funding support from Chichester District Council, will enable our charity partners to not only secure the provision of their services during the pandemic but also to provide a permanent solution for those who find themselves faced with homelessness in the future.
"This funding will facilitate additional hostel space and will also provide a long term solution for those moving on from hostel accommodation.
"I am delighted that we will be able to maintain and deliver our commitment for a reduction in the number of those sleeping rough on our streets."