The government, councils, housing associations and tenants' groups are to be asked for their backing for the idea, which is being fronted by the homelessness charity Crisis and is planned to take place from December 1999 to March 2000.
The charity claims that the government cannot hope to meet its target of getting two-thirds of rough sleepers off the streets by the year 2002 unless it considers such a move.
Crisis chief executive Shaks Ghosh said: "We estimate that 10,000 sleep rough every year and 37 per cent of these have previously had tenancies. This a window of opportunity for reengaging those people."
But she stressed the proposal came with a strict caveat that previously excluded people who accept the deal must sign up to an agreement about their future conduct.
The amnesty, unveiled at a London Housing Federation conference today (Thursday) has broader implications for reforming current practice and legislation on allocations. A Shelter survey last year estimated that some 200,000 people were excluded from waiting lists in 1997.
New research from Crisis next month will reveal that people with mental health problems are being excluded from the system by housing officers because of problems such as anti-social behaviour or rent arrears.
The amnesty would call for social landlords to review their practices and improve support measures to give such people a better chance.
Both the Tenant Participation Advisory Service and TAROE (Tenants and Residents Organisations of England), said they would back the amnesty in principle.
TPAS policy officer Paul Schofield said: "I think it's a good idea and I don't see any reason why tenants should object as long as they are consulted."
He said tenants would not want troublemakers to be allowed back onto estates simply because it was the year 2000. But they would be in favour of "humanising" the current allocations system if difficult cases were offered enough support and if the move did not suck resources from other services.
Source
Housing Today
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