Consultation looks at South Hams homelessness

A Devon council has launched a public consultation on how it can prevent homelessness.

South Hams District Council said the results of the consultation, due to close on 23 March, would be collated and used for a new homelessness strategy.

It said the strategy would cover 2022-2027 and residents' views "will mean that the plans will cover the right priorities and meet the needs of everyone in the community".

The consultation comes after the authority declared a housing crisis last September.

Councillor Judy Pearce, executive member for housing, said taking part "could make all the difference for many people and help our communities to thrive".

She said supporting people who were sleeping rough would "always be a vital part of our homelessness strategy", but "we know there are more layers to the issue of homelessness".

She said increasing rental prices, coupled with a rise in the cost of living, meant "more and more local people find themselves at risk of having nowhere to live".

She said the homelessness strategy would look "at the needs of all people who may be faced with homelessness, including those being priced out of our area".