Dundee Council To Seek Funding For Rapid Rehousing Plan

Dundee City Council is considering making a bid to the Scottish Government to fund a new fast-track programme to accommodate homeless people.

The vision for Rapid Rehousing is set out in a 32-page plan which recognises that a safe and secure home is the best base to build and live lives and cutting the time people spend homeless and in temporary accommodation reduces damage to their health and wellbeing.

Kevin Cordell convener of Dundee City Council's neighbourhood services committee said: "We are already one of five pathfinder councils in Scotland for the Housing First model which puts more focus on early intervention and support, finding out why people become homeless and developing ways to address that.

"The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan takes that a stage further by acknowledging that when people do become homeless we need a partnership approach to ensuring that the time they spend in temporary accommodation is kept to an absolute minimum.


"However when temporary accommodation is needed the best type is mainstream, furnished within a community."

All councils must prepare and submit Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans (RRTPs) to the Scottish Government covering the period 2019/20 to 2023/24.

It will use these plans to measure progress towards the delivery of rapid rehousing and help them decide how to allocate £51m between 32 local authorities and their partners.

The plan has been developed jointly by Dundee City Council, the Dundee Health and Social Care partnership, registered social landlords, third sector and other partner agencies.

Trudy McLeay chair of the Dundee Health and Social Care Integrated Joint Board said: "People are at the heart of everything we do and homelessness is a complex issue.

"The support of the partnership in addressing the reason people become homeless and how they can get into and sustain a tenancy will be crucial to the success of the plan."

Bryan Smith from Dundee's Housing First support consortium said: "Housing First Dundee is an innovative programme that will work positively and proactively with those that have had difficulty in engaging with traditional housing and support services due to a variety of complex needs.

"It is an exciting opportunity to give participants hope and end the revolving door of homelessness. The first tranche of participants will move into their tenancies in early 2019."

The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan will be discussed by the neighbourhood services committee on Monday 07 January.