Since the Jersey Homelessness Strategy was published in November 2020 there has been some good progress, but there is still so much more that needs to be done.
Homelessness Strategy and Actions to date. – What has been achieved.
- Understand and define homelessness by providing a statutory definition and clear messages to promote a shared understanding of the issue.
Work in progress.
- A Homeless Definition adopted by the Minister for Housing and Communities was presented to the States on 7 October 2022 covering 13 categories of homelessness.
- Awaiting details from Housing Minister as to his plans to bring forward a statutory definition.
- The lack of a statutory definition is still fundamental to everything.
- Evidence the scale and nature of the issue so that we can plan how to prevent and address it.
Still to do.
- Awaiting plans from the Housing Minister as to how he proposes to collate data, to include all 13 categories of homelessness in his definition.
- Accommodation providers have published their statistics, but only references those that have called out for help, covering only three of the 13 categories in the Housing Minister’s definition.
- GoJ Housing Advice Service also collects data about their service users and their housing circumstances but this information has yet to be published.
- Awaiting details from the GOJ as to their plans to capture sofa surfers, those in over-crowded accommodation, insecure or unsafe accommodation and those in imminent threat of becoming homeless.
- Create a housing advice hub so that everyone knows where to go to get help.
In place, but more to do.
- GoJ Housing Advice Service was created as a direct outcome of the HJ Strategy document.
- Increase of funding secured in the 2023-27 Government plan, with ambition to provide housing-led, preventative support.
- Establish a complex needs team to take responsibility for resolving the housing issues of the most vulnerable.
Still to do.
- The Housing Advice Service is in place to develop services, which requires development across government departments, agencies and providers.
- Additional funding in 2024-27 plan to strengthen the role of the Housing Advice Service.
- Provide a housing safety net for all, which is appropriate, flexible and able to meet the needs of everyone.
Work in progress.
- Increase in the number of beds provided by emergency accommodation providers.
- Jersey Women’s Refuge, Sanctuary Trust and The Shelter Trust all have opened new facilities in 2021 and 2022. These include additional units and capable of serving people with multiple or special needs.
- Greater and enhanced facilities at Aztec House operated by The Shelter Trust.
- Implementation of a Vulnerable Women’s Service, paid for by the Jersey Funders Group.
- Expansion of free GP access in homeless accommodation.
- Plan to introduce updated Residential Tenancy Law to include open ended tenancies and protection from eviction for tenants (but not licensees)
- More than 600 new homes delivered by Andium Homes since 2020.
- 3,000 homes planned to be delivered by Andium Homes by 2030.
- Implement commissioning and regulation to ensure that housing-related support services are consistent and sustainable.
More to do.
- GoJ has launched a Commissioning Academy to ensure best practice across all GoJ Departments.
- Strengthen the role and supply of social housing to meet housing needs.
- Support private sector tenants and landlords to promote positive relationships.
- Ongoing work between the Housing Advice Service and private landlords to strengthen relationships and provide support for tenants in the private rented sector.
- Strengthen the role and supply of social housing to ensure that it is better able to meet housing need.
Ongoing.
- The Minister for Housing and Communities published the ‘Roadmap for improving access to social housing in Jersey’ in July 2023.
- The Minister has implemented the recommendations of the Homelessness Strategy by:
- Widening access to social housing – gradually lowering the age limit for persons without children to access social housing from 40 to 25;
- Widening the income thresholds;
- Providing additional support for separated families to ensure better equality of access for Islanders in greatest need.
- Support private sector tenants and landlords to promote positive relationships.
Work in progress.
- The Housing Advice Service website provides details useful information to guide tenants and landlords – https://www.gov.je/Home/HousingAdviceService/Pages/index.aspx
- Minister for Housing and Communities’ consultation on residential tenancies proposes increasing security of tenure for tenants; enhancing protection for tenants against unfair eviction; providing certainty in respect of rent increases; and providing timely and effective mechanism to resolve disagreements between landlords and tenants. This was a recommendation of the Homelessness Strategy.
- Proposed legislation also includes regulation-making powers in relation to homelessness, including the potential introduction of a statutory definition of homelessness and provision for homelessness services.
- The Minister also consulted on potential standards in relation to social housing provision in Jersey.
- The Environment Minister plans to introduce a rental property licensing scheme.