In a pressing call to action, Oxford City Council has demanded urgent government intervention to address the escalating costs of providing temporary accommodation for homeless individuals.
The council has sought a meeting with Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, to explore avenues for reducing current expenditure levels.
This appeal comes amidst the council’s imminent decision to allocate £1.65 million in grants to combat rough sleeping within the city. With 220 households already in temporary accommodation and projections indicating a rise to 315 by July, the council is gravely concerned about the financial strain and inefficiency of utilizing costly hotels as interim housing solutions.
Scheduled for approval on March 13, the council’s cabinet is poised to allocate £1.65 million towards homelessness prevention efforts, with a significant portion earmarked for supported accommodation initiatives.
While acknowledging the government’s existing subsidy framework for temporary accommodation, Councilor Susan Brown, the leader of Oxford City Council, emphasized the urgent need for additional support.
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She stressed that the current situation not only poses a financial crisis for local government but also inflicts significant hardships on affected families struggling to meet rental obligations.
In response, a spokesperson from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing housing challenges, highlighting proposed funding increases and ongoing efforts to expand social housing supply.
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Despite these assurances, Oxford City Council maintains that immediate action is necessary to alleviate the burden on local authorities and vulnerable families grappling with homelessness. The council awaits meaningful engagement and concrete measures from the government to address this pressing issue.