Housing First – Glasgow Housing Association Perspective

Paul Tonner

9th May 2014

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Glasgow Housing Association

Part of the Wheatley Group, GHA is a not-for-profit housing organisation, established after the stock transfer of Glasgow’s council housing stock in 2003

We provide services to our 43,000 tenants and 26,500 factored homeowners

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Better homes, Better Lives

We have delivered Europe’s largest housing refurbishment programme

Over £1 billion has been invested changing the face of the city

Reaching the final phase of the investment programme has led to a significant shift in our operational focus

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Delivering National Priorities

Facing economic challenges through joint working and innovation

Supporting people to stay in their own homes

Increasing educational achievement in our communities

Creating safe, attractive and sustainable communities

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Glasgow Context

10,000 homeless applications per year

A year-on-year reduction in the rate of repeat homelessness recorded, from 12.9% in 2006/07 to 4.8% in 2010/11.

9,000 social lets in Glasgow in 2009/10 & 13,000 new housing applications to GHA + demand on wider RSL network

Continued pressure on social housing stock

Financial pressures, Welfare Reform , meeting the 2012 target & re-structuring of Homelessness Services

Around 70 RSLs operating in City

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Why Did We Get Involved?

A real partnership between Turning Point Scotland as support and care provider and the RSLs as housing providers

GHA’s Homelessness Strategy - places significant emphasis on preventing homelessness and sourcing appropriate support from a range of partners in helping our customers sustain their tenancies

At the time, the project also fulfilled one of the outcomes of Glasgow’s Homelessness Strategy, namely:

‘Improve outcomes for homeless households with addiction and/or criminal justice issues, including accommodation’.

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Our Approach

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Opportunities

People

Risks

Innovation

· Involved in shaping the project to fit the Glasgow context.

· Use this approach to focus on tenants potentially at risk - personalised approach

· Stronger links with support partners & know where to go if things go wrong

· Partnership is key· Exciting project and one which could

shape how we deliver services in future to this client group

· Cultural change for staff & customers about how services are delivered

· How we bring more partners on board – small sample size

· Housing First and Housing Options -extending to other tenures & different solutions

· Understanding our customers and how we reach them – communication activity

· Training for staff to be more effective -collaboration with local RSLs & partners

· Development of Glasgow model bring new partners on board - confidence

· RSLS to use existing policies & services to help customers – section 5 referrals

· We got leadership buy-in - Governance

· Risks around working with people actively involved in drug misuse balanced with needs of existing tenants

· Housing supply reduced pressures on system

· SST versus short SST· Housing readiness -including practical

things e.g. Furniture options· Personalisation agenda · Austerity measures and impact on direct

services – duplicate projects already working in City?

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Delivery

First section 5 referral received November 2010

All 6 cases for the pilot housed by May 2011

Cases housed in an average of 3 weeks from receipt of section 5 referral

As a result of SST, 2 cases ‘moved’ to another RSL in May 2011

Replaced lets lost via SST in the South of the city

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Issues and Interventions

Noisy Parties

Fighting in communal areas

Disturbing Neighbours

Causing damage to flat

Police Visits

Abusive to staff

Loud music

Graffiti

Think Yes!

Fire & Rescue meeting

Child Protection meeting

Concierge assistance

Referral to Community

Improvement Partnership

Joint visitWarnings issued

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Housing summary

9 Properties let in total

7 In North West Glasgow (2 left via Second Stage Transfer)

2 In South Glasgow

2 Tenancies given up (0 evictions)

5 Current tenancies (1 vacancy)

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Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Comments On Key Areas

Support: Did it work, and if so, why?

Tenancy sustainment: Better/worse than expected?

Housing choice: Is there any?

Communication: Was it effective?

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