Dundee City Council Press Releases

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New Homeless Rules

Dundee is set to respond to proposed new legislation on how local authorities house homeless people.

A report to the city council's housing, Dundee Contract Service and environment services committee on Monday (August 25) seeks approval of the council's submission to a Scottish Government consultation.

Housing convener Councillor George Regan said: "This is an important part of new legislation dealing with homelessness and it is essential that we put forward our views because they will have a bearing on the changes proposed.

"At present, council have to offer permanent accommodation to people who are assessed as being unintentionally homeless. One of the key proposals for the new legislation is that councils can offer transitional accommodation if an assessment shows that someone would not be able to hold down permanent housing at that time.

"Transitional accommodation will allow councils to keep a case under review and provide permanent accommodation in the future after they had been offered support.

"In Dundee we already have examples of this kind of transitional accommodation, such as the Dundee Families Project."

Councillor Regan said the proposals in the new legislation would also allow councils to meet their statutory duty to the homeless by providing a short assured tenancy in the private sector.

"The new regulations would mean a minimum of a 12-month tenancy, instead of the current six-month period. People would be more likely to accept a tenancy in the private sector if it was for a longer minimum period."       

The council's response to the consultation has to be with the Scottish Government by September 19.