Show homeless some respect, churches tell Blair
-23/01/06
Church-related housing chari
Show homeless some respect, churches tell Blair
-23/01/06
Church-related housing charities are challenging UK prime minister Tony Blair to give substance to his ërespectí agenda by addressing the problems of more than 100,000 homeless families forced to live in temporary accommodation.
To mark the annual ecumenical Homelessness Sunday on 29 January 2006, churches are also being asked to match their rhetoric with deeds by taking practical steps to combat homelessness.
This includes examining vacant church buildings for conversion into viable accommodation for the vulnerable, leasing houses to set up temporary accommodation for those seeking to get into the private rented sector, and using church premises for those who are homeless and for play space or free meals.
ìThe make up of our churches are rapidly changing in both demographic and physical terms. Some of these changes offer a real opportunity for churches to be creative and re-use premises for the homeless.î said Robina Rafferty, chief executive of the Christian agency Housing Justice.
She continued: ìParishioners sometimes leave houses to distant relatives who will then want to rent them out – these premises could be run by church organisations for homeless people.î
The situation is urgent, with the human dignity of more than 100,000 families who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation in England and Wales at stake.
This includes 75,170 households with children or a pregnant woman. There are believed to be over 150,000 children caught up in the degradation of housing poverty.
Housing advice centres run by churches and others can make a significant difference, say campaigners.
Research shows that housing problems do not suddenly appear but develop over a period of time, in association with other life problems and inequalities ñ such as debt, low income, family breakdown and substance abuse.
There is often a period of four to five months between the first indication of a housing difficulty and an eviction notice being served. Local council housing departments usually only act when crisis point is reached and an eviction notice is served. Earlier intervention could help prevent such problems.
Rent deposit schemes where people are assisted with an initial deposit required to obtain a property and tenancy support is another way to stop people becoming homeless.
The longer-term answer is, of course, to increase the stock of affordable homes, following years of depreciation in the housing stock for people on lower incomes.
In 2004 a Treasury-commissioned report (the Barker Review) estimated that there would need to be an extra 140,000 homes built each year for the next 20 years to meet demand.
Of these it was recommended that 23,000 should be affordable social housing to begin to replace the 1.6 million homes sold to tenants under the right to buy policy since 1980.
Housing Justice urges the building of more sustainable housing as a key plank in a revitalised strategy to combat homelessness and poverty.
ìIn areas with lots of families in housing need we should ensure that new developments are of homes suitable for families of varying sizes rather than simply one and two bedroom flats,î say Robina Rafferty.
She continues: ìWe need sustainable communities, with a range of sizes and tenures, so that we can work for much more mixed communities. In addition we need to ensure that the infrastructure such as transport, community facilities and schools are suitable for the area.î
[Also on Ekklesia: Christian survey questions Government figures on rough sleepers; Churches to monitor government’s ‘homes for all’ strategy; Government commitment to new homes is ‘too little too late’]
Show homeless some respect, churches tell Blair
-23/01/06
Church-related housing charities are challenging UK prime minister Tony Blair to give substance to his ërespect’ agenda by addressing the problems of more than 100,000 homeless families forced to live in temporary accommodation.
To mark the annual ecumenical Homelessness Sunday on 29 January 2006, churches are also being asked to match their rhetoric with deeds by taking practical steps to combat homelessness.
This includes examining vacant church buildings for conversion into viable accommodation for the vulnerable, leasing houses to set up temporary accommodation for those seeking to get into the private rented sector, and using church premises for those who are homeless and for play space or free meals.
‘The make up of our churches are rapidly changing in both demographic and physical terms. Some of these changes offer a real opportunity for churches to be creative and re-use premises for the homeless.’ said Robina Rafferty, chief executive of the Christian agency Housing Justice.
She continued: ‘Parishioners sometimes leave houses to distant relatives who will then want to rent them out – these premises could be run by church organisations for homeless people.’
The situation is urgent, with the human dignity of more than 100,000 families who are homeless and living in temporary accommodation in England and Wales at stake.
This includes 75,170 households with children or a pregnant woman. There are believed to be over 150,000 children caught up in the degradation of housing poverty.
Housing advice centres run by churches and others can make a significant difference, say campaigners.
Research shows that housing problems do not suddenly appear but develop over a period of time, in association with other life problems and inequalities – such as debt, low income, family breakdown and substance abuse.
There is often a period of four to five months between the first indication of a housing difficulty and an eviction notice being served. Local council housing departments usually only act when crisis point is reached and an eviction notice is served. Earlier intervention could help prevent such problems.
Rent deposit schemes where people are assisted with an initial deposit required to obtain a property and tenancy support is another way to stop people becoming homeless.
The longer-term answer is, of course, to increase the stock of affordable homes, following years of depreciation in the housing stock for people on lower incomes.
In 2004 a Treasury-commissioned report (the Barker Review) estimated that there would need to be an extra 140,000 homes built each year for the next 20 years to meet demand.
Of these it was recommended that 23,000 should be affordable social housing to begin to replace the 1.6 million homes sold to tenants under the right to buy policy since 1980.
Housing Justice urges the building of more sustainable housing as a key plank in a revitalised strategy to combat homelessness and poverty.
‘In areas with lots of families in housing need we should ensure that new developments are of homes suitable for families of varying sizes rather than simply one and two bedroom flats,’ say Robina Rafferty.
She continues: ‘We need sustainable communities, with a range of sizes and tenures, so that we can work for much more mixed communities. In addition we need to ensure that the infrastructure such as transport, community facilities and schools are suitable for the area.’
[Also on Ekklesia: Christian survey questions Government figures on rough sleepers; Churches to monitor government’s ‘homes for all’ strategy; Government commitment to new homes is ‘too little too late’]