But committee president Steve Williams warned that pipeline issues including market shortages and affordability were presenting considerable challenges for the committee.
Deputy Williams said collaboration with charities such as Caritas and Action For Children had been successful, with emergency and supported accommodation, including recently-installed sleeping pod units at the Vale Douzaine Room and Action For Children’s training flats in Victoria Road, being delivered.
Other than Home Affairs, which Housing was working with to provide accommodation options for ex-offenders, Deputy Williams said his committee had not formally engaged with any other committees on this particular workstream.
However, he noted the island’s Homelessness Forum brought together multiple agencies and stakeholders, and emphasised the importance of avoiding duplication of efforts.
Addressing the pipeline issue, he said there was ‘no point’ in providing lots of temporary accommodation, adding that if such accommodation filled up, people would not be able to be moved on, meaning the accommodation would no longer be temporary.
However, shortage of supply and affordability were ‘real issues’, and would continue to be so until new homes started to come through, as well as re-lets within existing accommodation.
Housing has also taken political control of St Julian’s House in the past month and is planning a broad review of its services and facilities, he said, adding that the committee would consult with representative groups and stakeholders to assess whether the current facilities met community needs, and examine operational conditions and suitability for clients.
He added that while it was still early days for the committee’s involvement with some facilities, there was a focus on improving services, exploring new provision options, and ensuring a multi-agency approach to housing support.
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