In theory, some of the evicted residents could be placed back into new HMOs on the St James estate, only this time as homeless, with few rights and sharing what was once adequate space with strangers. All this would be at a higher cost to the council.
This is of course speculation, but it would not be the first time a commercial organisation makes a higher profit from homelessness than from the regular rental market. The story – more than one estate’s battle to stay in their homes – is evidence of a broken housing and homelessness system.
In our recent report into the history of temporary accommodation, Lifelines, we expose how temporary housing has often been expected to absorb housing market shocks. This can be extremely costly and compound the exclusion felt by some of the most vulnerable in society.
Four red flags are visible in what’s happening to St James residents, and they should raise alarm bells for tenants and councils everywhere.
First, the homelessness system is being presented as a safety net for the tenants, but it is not fit for purpose. Bates reports that Southwark and other councils have been discharging their statutory homelessness duties into private rentals in the St James since 2011. Faced with eviction notices, those same households are now being funnelled back to Southwark Council to develop Personal Housing Plans in a new round of homelessness.
Jessica Field and Signe Gosmann have written a great examination of the failings of temporary accommodation that have precipitated the crisis on the estate. Read the full piece here:
Leave a Reply