I welcome the debate that Richmond council’s homelessness statistics have started (4 March, page 12). In her letter, published in your 18 March issue on page 24, Anita Tsetselis suggests Richmond should also be addressing under-occupation.

I would point out that we operate a sponsored moves scheme, which offers financial rewards for tenants who move to one-bedroom homes.

This has released 48 larger properties in the last two and a half years and the scheme will continue to be developed.

Both Tsetselis and Adetayo Adebesin, whose letter on this subject also appeared on page 12 of the 4 March issue, were concerned about the numbers of households in temporary accommodation.

I can only say that Richmond struggled to gain Housing Corporation funding, but has been able to use capital receipts from the transfer of housing stock, which are starting to come on stream , for a significant programme of new build.

We expect numbers in temporary accommodation to reduce this year, with a larger drop in 2006.

And I should clarify the issue over intentional homelessness. In Richmond we have found 38 households out of 1107 applications intentionally homeless since April 2003 and it is simply not a factor in reducing the homelessness figures.

Since our housing stock transferred in July 2000, private finance has been pumped into the stock and we are confident of reaching the decent homes standard.

I feel that Richmond’s statistics do represent a genuine leap forward.

But I do also understand the feeling that the various best performance housing indicators do not tell the whole story in terms of the customer experience.

Brian Castle, joint assistant director, housing Richmond council

Source

Housing Today