Council approves new housing and homelessness strategy

At a meeting of full Council on Wednesday 13 October, Horsham councillors unanimously voted to adopt a new Housing and Homelessness Strategy for 2021-2026.

Following consultation and presentations to the Housing and Public Protection Policy Development Advisory Group and Council’s Cabinet, five key themes for the Horsham District have been identified which structure the new strategy.

These themes are:

• Ensure no-one needs to sleep rough through having no other choice
• Empower residents to live independently in their homes
• Deliver the number and size of affordable homes that our communities and residents need in line with planning policies
• Provide and maintain an accessible and fair housing register
• Prevent all forms of homelessness for our District’s residents.

Cllr Tricia Youtan, Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Protection proposed the strategy saying:

We are very fortunate in the Horsham District that we deliver a significant number of affordable homes, the highest number across Sussex in recent years.

We have secured almost 1600 affordable homes in recent years with a little over 950 being affordable rented homes for those with a housing need on the Council’s housing register.

We need to continue to build on this and support local residents with a housing need in a number of ways.

This strategy recognises that we can’t adopt a “one size fits all” approach and aims to increase the accessibility of accommodation and continue to provide the best possible option to households facing the challenges of homelessness.

We are committed to our residents, and if we can’t prevent their homelessness we will ensure the ability to secure and maintain an affordable home is within their reach.

You can read the new strategy and our Nominations  Policy on the Housing strategies and policies page.