b'Local Government Lawyer 7Which do you think of the following would be most effective in addressing the needpaid around 72,000, and in total, Mansfield for temporary housing (please rank up to three in order)? District council has saved over 94,000 from 60% not having to put people in bed and breakfasts Building more affordable housing 12% 33%14% or elsewhereso the scheme is paying for 35% itself already.Compulsory purchase of empty properties 12% 18% She notes that other councils have 5%33% approached them for advice on setting up The use of modular (prefabricated) temporary housing 9% similar projects, adding: its good to share 9% 16%32% learning with other councils, as were all in the Refurbishment of existing empty housing stock 11% same boat really.11%11% Another initiative worth acknowledging Purchasing or leasing of properties on open market or 14% 32%from social housing providers within the borough 5% 12% is one by the Royal Borough of Greenwichclaimed to have reduced its use of hotel and Partnering with private sector organisations or 4% 11% 23% B&B temporary accommodation by 84% in 18 institutional capital 9% months.Other 2% 11% 16% After reaching an unprecedented peak 4% of demand for hotel accommodation in April Changing planning policy to enable more TA to be 2% 16% last year, the London Borough launched a provided 4% 11% collaboration between its Housing and Digital Purchasing or leasing of properties on open market or 2% 12% Proportion of answers in Services teams - tasked with using data to 5% identify solutions to decrease the councils from social housing providers outside the borough 5% top threeProportion of first choiceConversion or use of student accomodation 0% 4% 9% answers use of hotel and B&Bs and target resources 5% Proportion of second towards early interventions.7% choice answers Some of the interventions included: 2% Proportion of third choiceUse of hotel accommodation 2%4% answers speeding up the administration of homelessness assessments, using 100 more of the councils own homes as in-borough temporary accommodation, and supporting private sector tenants at risk of homelessness and providing a rent guarantor scheme. For residents, some were fearful aboutretain their tenancies.The reasons for the council entering thehaving a private landlord again - especially ifAs a result, the council announced in May scheme will resonate with many others.theyd been evicted from their previous homethat it has managed to drive down its use of Weve just not got enough social housing,- and wanted the security of social housing. hotels to virtually nothing, with the scheme especially in temporary accommodation,We took the time to explain to everyoneresulting in savings of around 5.88m. and putting people up in bed and breakfastsconcerned how the scheme can provideWhile not providing one clear solution to is a costly initiative and not a solution, sayssecurity, says Callaghan. success, this example may suggest that small Mansfields Portfolio Holder for Housing,And actually its really nice that familiesimprovements in a number of areas can be Councillor Anne Callaghan.can go out and choose a place for themselveshighly effectiveand that a lot can be said for Weve got 5,000 people on the waiting giving them the autonomy to find somethinggreater efficiency and planning, both of which list for council houses and weve only got overthat suits them. They feel part of the process. can be implemented for free. 2,000 houses so theyre going to be waitingSo, has the scheme been working so far?In the absence of more money and for a really long time. resources, there is no magic solution to Funded through the Homeless Preventionthe temporary housing crisis councils find Grant, financial barriers were not theIts about educatingthemselves in. authoritys biggest concern when launchinglandlords about whatWhile the use of B&Bs and hotels may the scheme. Rather, it was getting landlordsbe an essential sticking plaster to meet and residents on board.being homeless means,demand in the short term, local authorities Callaghan notes: Some private landlordsare inadvertently falling deeper into financial were initially reluctant to be part of theand providing securityinstabilitymaking it harder to invest in scheme, just because of their perception ofthrough our rentsolutions required for lasting impact. people who are homeless. I dont think theyHowever, with some glimpses of success understood that there are lots of reasons whyguarantor scheme. from local initiatives across the county we have families becoming homeless, until we- it seems the answer might lie in series of had a proper conversation to explain this. schemes that best suit local circumstances, For landlords, its obviously their business,While in its infancy, the council says yes.with a focus on incremental improvements so they might be worried the rent wont beSince January, Mansfield has housedto efficiency, and working alongside other paid, or properties might be damaged, butalmost 41 applicants through the privatestakeholders such as private landlords. it was all about educating them about whatrented scheme, including 38 children. being homeless means, and providing securityOn the financial benefits, Callaghan claims:Lottie Winson is a Reporter at Local through our rent guarantor scheme. In the 6 months weve been doing this, weveGovernment Lawyer'