Changes to the way that people in Portsmouth are allocated council housing to create more opportunities for residents to find a home are due to be considered by Portsmouth City Council next week.
The council recently reviewed its housing allocation scheme, which sets out the rules used to decide if someone can apply for social housing and how high they would be placed on the register, depending on their needs.
Over the summer people currently on the housing register, housing associations that provide social housing, city council tenants and those living in Portsmouth, gave their views on who the council should prioritise when offering housing, and how the new allocation policy will work. Over 1,300 responses were received.
As a result of the consultation, a report will be presented to the decision meeting for the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness held on 18 September that recommends:
- Increasing the number of homes let via the housing register by ensuring more moves for transfer applicants.
- Increasing the number of homes let via the housing register by using chain lettings
- Changing the names of the priority bands to ‘recognised’, ‘significant’ and ‘urgent’ to reflect demand
- Added priority for current and former members of the armed forces and for care-experienced people from Portsmouth
If approved the policy is proposed to be effective from 20th November 2024
Cllr Darren Sanders, Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness, said: “Our allocation policy was in need of a refresh in light of changes in demand for our housing. I’m pleased we had such a large response to our consultation, and am looking forward to discussing the proposed policy changes.”
This review is the result of the new homelessness and rough sleeping strategy 2024 – 2029, which was put in place in January this year. The strategy seeks to tackle homelessness in the city in a holistic way, meaning housing is allocated in a smarter way, and fewer people will be left with no option but to sleep rough.