West of England authority launches initiative to house rough sleepers

The West of England Combined Authority has begun work to house rough sleepers in Bristol, England, as part of a pledge to move people off the streets before Christmas.

The government allocated more than £12m to the authority over a three-year period to address the growing homelessness crisis. Since the Covid pandemic, the number of people sleeping rough in Bristol has risen steadily, with monthly street counts nearing record highs.

St Mungos, a charity providing outreach services for the city council, is managing the logistical effort to find housing for those in need. David Ingerslev of the charity says the organization aims to provide an offer of accommodation to every person currently on the streets. To do this, the charity is creating various options, including women-only spaces and locations that allow residents to keep pets. The project faces hurdles due to high demand and limited supply.

Ingerslev estimates the city needs about 200 extra bed spaces to meet current demand. While all 900 of the city's supported accommodation beds are currently full, the charity notes that high housing costs in the attractive city make it difficult to acquire new properties or move people into permanent homes.