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Homelessness: Property owners paid to try and end housing crisis

Getty Images Homeless person on streetGetty Images
As part of the Ending Homelessness Action Plan, local authorities will encourage people to rent their homes to those who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness

Property owners in Wales will be offered money to rent to homeless people to try and end the housing crisis.

They will be able to lease their houses to councils, so they can be leased to those who are at risk of, or are experiencing, homelessness.

In return, landlords will be offered guaranteed rent and money to carry out improvements on the premises.

Tenants will benefit from a long-term let of between five to 20 years.

They will also be given mental health support, and financial advice.

As part of the Ending Homelessness Action Plan, local authorities will be encouraging people to allow their properties to be used as affordable homes.

The strategy includes a five-year funding pot worth £30m.

The programme will sit alongside the Welsh government's aim to build 20,000 low carbon, good quality and affordable homes for rent over the next five years.

Welsh government Jonathan LewisWelsh government
Jonathan says getting his own property has given him the push he needed

'Makes me proud'

Jonathan Lewis sofa-surfed and slept in his car while he was homeless.

The 42-year-old from Swansea said being given the keys to his own home in 2018 allowed him to turn his life around.

"I've never had a house, I've never had my own property. It's given me the push I needed and it's given me something I don't want to lose.

"Someone has put that trust in me, that I'm worthy enough to have something decent in my life.

"Now I have my own home, and I pay for this with the money I earn, it makes me really proud," he said.

Getty Images Homeless people on streetGetty Images
Julie James MS said her priority was to "prevent homeless"

Climate change minister Julie James MS said her priority was to "prevent homelessness and ensure when it does happen, it is rare, brief and unrepeated".

Chief executive of Crisis Jon Sparkes welcomed the plan.

He said: "This plan rightly recognises that the work done to ensure no one is left out of support must continue, as much the joined-up approach across services in ending homeless as a public health issue.

"It shows how we can put the measures in place to prevent homelessness wherever possible and respond as quickly as possible when people lose their homes."