Cardiff pilot of the Welsh Government’s leasing scheme secured six properties, according to FoI
THE pilot of a new scheme designed to combat homelessness in Wales by leasing private properties has housed just 16 people, an Freedom of Information request has revealed.
The Cardiff council pilot of the Private Rented Leasing Scheme has secured only six properties since it began in February.
The scheme, which has now been rolled out across the country, encourages landlords to lease properties to their local authority to use as affordable housing for people at risk of homelessness.
In return they receive a rent guarantee and money to renovate their properties.
The pilot is funded by the Welsh Government and has awarded £3,368 in renovation grants to landlords enrolled on the scheme.
The findings raise questions about the effectiveness of the policy, which is a key part of the Welsh Government’s new homelessness action plan.
Similar pilot schemes across the country have secured just 24 rental properties in total, with some councils being unable to attract any landlords at all.
“This pilot scheme was launched with great fanfare yet has only housed 16 people, which does little to help tackle some of the longest housing waiting lists in the city,” said Councillor and leader of the opposition Adrian Robson.
“The figures show that it is not well-known among tenants and landlords, and clearly Cardiff’s rental market hasn’t bought into the support offered by this scheme.
“If the Labour Cabinet are going to introduce schemes such as this, then they must properly back them. This scheme needs reviewing to see why uptake is in such low numbers.”
Between 2019-20, Cardiff Council provided assistance to 2,226 households classed as legally homeless, and a further 2,304 threatened with homelessness.
Across the same period, 567 households were placed into temporary, short-term accommodation. 366 of these were families with children.
The lack of affordable, long-term housing has worsened homelessness in the city. There are about 8,000 people on the waiting list for social housing in Cardiff, with an extra 400 applying per month.
The private rented leasing scheme was intended to help fill this shortfall. Cardiff Council plans to build at least 15,400 new homes in the next decade, and is currently consulting on a new local development plan that could see 30,500 homes built by 2036.
The pandemic forced a reassessment of homelessness policy, with the Welsh government enacting legal measures to prevent evictions and supporting 12,400 people into temporary accommodation between March 2020 and June 2021.
The homelessness action plan was designed to continue this push to make homelessness in Wales “rare, brief and unrepeated”, in the words of Julie James MS.
“This scheme will offer security for tenants and confidence for landlords,” she said whilst announcing the expansion of the policy in the Senedd last month.
“It will strengthen links between local authorities and private sector landlords, provide pathways for homeless households into housing, and offer financial stability and support for landlords who are able to make housing available to households nominated by the local authority.”
However, the plan was criticised as a “sticking plaster” by members of the opposition.
“Labour isn’t tackling some of the issues which can lead to homelessness, such as not having enough properties in Wales,” said Sam Rowlands MS.
“As welcome as this plan is, it is not the silver bullet to solving homelessness and it is only a short-term strategy. We need more houses to be built across the country.”
