The Royal Borough of Greenwich is one of 46 local authorities and housing providers to have been selected for UK central government funding to help people with a history of rough sleeping and those at risk of homelessness.
The grant from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been awarded following a competitive bidding process, and will support Royal Greenwich's mission to end rough sleeping for homeless young people and vulnerable women in the borough and help them into settled housing.
Councillor Pat Slattery, Cabinet Member for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, says: “We are committed to ensuring that people in Greenwich have a safe and secure home that meets their needs.
“We know that due to many personal vulnerabilities, some young people and vulnerable women in our borough can find themselves at considerable risk of homelessness or sleeping rough.
In total, Royal Greenwich will receive £2,235,000 capital grant funding to buy 15 one-bedroom flats for residents with a history of rough sleeping or at considerable risk of it.
Providing a roof without access to vital additional support is not always enough, so this funding will enable us to help some of our most vulnerable residents to start to rebuild their lives and stay off the streets permanently.
Ten of those homes will be allocated to young people aged 18 to 25 and five homes allocated to vulnerable women.
Alongside this, a further revenue grant of £636,231 will fund a three-year intensive and holistic support package which will be delivered by a specialist team.
Targeted support will be provided for people who struggle with issues such as addiction or mental ill-health and would ordinarily find it difficult to sustain a tenancy in unsupported housing.
