The strategy, which will set out the homeless czar's strategy for reducing rough sleeping across the country by two-thirds by 2002, is likely to focus on creating sustainable tenancies.
It is understood that funds from the unit's £160m budget over three years will be earmarked for supporting tenancies.
It is likely that the Housing Services Agency will provide costly floating support services, with councils and housing associations providing the accommodation.
Speaking at an Islington council seminar last week, homelessness charity Shelter director Chris Holmes said: "I think and I hope that what will come out next week is a realistic plan for how it can be possible even in London to reduce the number of homeless people on the streets by 2002."
He said this would not be by clearing the streets but by offering more accommodation.
But he pointed out that it was hard for social landlords to respond to need when associations were building very few new homes.
Although the priority for London was for homeless families, he did not believe the answer was to claw back money from the rough sleepers. Instead he said that cash could be cut back on some physical regeneration projects and on some "Egan"-style schemes, which were less urgent.
Shelter fully supported the Association of London Government's proposed emergency programme to acquire 5,000 existing homes for homeless families in London, costing £1bn over three years. "The current response from the government and the Housing Corporation has been disappointing," he told the seminar.
Source
Housing Today
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