Housing OptionsThe Glasgow Pilot An RSL’s Perspective – Kevin Nixon: Head of Housing Services

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Queens Cross H.A. Profile

• Based in North West of Glasgow• Community Based and Community Controlled RSL• 36 years of Regenerating our Neighbourhoods • Recent successful stock transfer of around 2,000 homes• Currently 4,500 housing units• £15.6 m turnover• Property Turnover Average 300 per year• Waiting List currently 1,956• Large Scale Clearance Programme near completion• £55 m New Build Investment on affordable homes over 3years

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Current Prevention, Sustainment and Personal Development Activities

• Housing Activities• Pre and Post Letting/Allocation Home Visits

• Best Use of Available Housing Via Letting Plan and Policy• Early Intervention on Arrears Management Activities

• Joint Agency Work around Care and Support Requirements

• Housing Support Services• 485 sheltered accommodation• 99 supported accommodation

• 315 Furnished Lets • CHYP (Council for Homeless Young People) 17• Firestation Project (16 – 25 single homeless) 40

• “Housing First” Pilot (Drug and Alcohol Dependency Project) 4• Queens Cross East Project (Mental Health Related Issues) 40

• History of Collaborative Partnership Working around Housing Support for Vulnerable Groups

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Queens Cross Partners and Collaborative Working Agencies

• Glasgow City Council • Aspire,• Barnardo’s 16+,• Care Solutions,• Care UK, • Community Integrated

Care,• Fairholme Group • Vista Healthcare • Glasgow Homeless

Partnership• Turning Point Scotland

• The Richmond Fellowship• SAMH • Share HA - Support Provider • Tact - Support provider,• The Mungo Foundation • The Talbot Association • Women’s Aid • Y people/Orchard and Shipman • Key Housing Association, • Quarriers, • Glasgow Homelink • Scottish Refugee Council• “Housing First” Pilot

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Current Prevention, Sustainment and Personal Development Activities

• Wider Support Services• 3 Queens Cross Welfare Rights Officers', • 1 Queens Cross Money and Debt Advisor

• Supporting Local Credit Union• Social and Community Support Activities

• 97 Volunteers working in local Community• Community Facilities, café, kids clubs, lunch clubs, IT

facilities• Employability Officer (Training and Employability activities)

• Community Development and Engagement Team• Youth Outreach Team

• 4 Local Community Involvement Groups (30 members)

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Outcomes and Ambition:When We Get it Right -

Enable People To Remain in Own Home if Appropriate Delay Urgent Need To Leave Current Home Improve Internal and External Partnership Solutions Creating a Personalised Approach to Finding a Home Offer Applicants Greater Choice Improve Tenancy Sustainment Improve Social and Financial Inclusion Improve Personal Wellbeing Expanding on Existing Positive Work and Solutions Better Advice, Greater Options, Empathetic Approach Improved Outcomes for Tenants, Customers and Service Users

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Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Why a Pilot in Glasgow?

• Glasgow's Housing Profile Complex• Large City, Multiple Service Entry Points• 50 CCHA’s manage 57,000 units• GHA manage 44, 000 units• Approx 104,000 Social Rented Units• Large number of Housing Partners make effective

development challenging• Pilot will assist development and testing of the

model for Roll-Out across the city

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Why Queens Cross HA in Pilot ?

• Large portfolio in collaborative working in this area• Association positive track record on homelessness initiatives• Largest CBHA in the North West – Large Housing Resource• Leading Partner in Glasgow CHR North West Pathfinder• Natural dovetailing of Housing Options Pilot with CHR Pilot• Chief Executive on Glasgow Housing Options Board

representing the SFHA/RSL perspective• Natural Partners for Housing Options Glasgow Pilot

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Challenges Ahead For Queens Cross Housing

• Promoting The Change • Changing Current Working Practices – “The Learning Curve”• Agencies Delivering Smarter, Sharper ways on Collaboration• Time required for Housing Options Interview and Follow Up

Casework• Managing Existing Workload and Services• Staffing Resources and Time (45 minute/ 1 hour interview)• Building Housing Options Concept into Standard Good Practice• Organisational Service Models Working Together• All Yet to be tested went live on 11th June 2011 3 days ago.

The Glasgow Pilot

The right idea, at the right time

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Housing Options – Glasgow City Wide Context

• 10,424 Homeless Applications last year• Growing Waiting Lists in the City• 9,504 social lets in Glasgow 2010/11• 1,348 new applications to QCHA 2011/12• 8,500 new applications to GHA• Large Waiting Lists with other Housing Providers• Financial Pressures on All Services• Welfare Reform Outcomes on the Horizon

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Glasgow Housing Options Pilot Overview

• Proposed Model 6 Months in Development • Multi-Agency Approach• Key Partners: Glasgow City Council, NHS Scotland, Glasgow

Housing Association• Queens Cross CBHA RSL joined – April 2012• Model finalised for Initial Pilot (Remains a Work in Progress)• Aiming to Create Smarter and Sharper Ways to Collaborate

A refreshed look at how we help people

in housing need or crisis

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Pilot Development to Date

• Partners brought together• Glasgow Housing Options Board established• Glasgow Housing Options Team established • Collaboration on Shared Paperwork and Processes• Holistic Interview Forms established to capture Needs and Assess

individuals options• Resource Toolkit with Solutions and Options Compiled in one easily

accessible document • Key Named Officers Contact Details Compiled – One Person per Service• Glasgow City Council Web Site Dedicated Page Developed for Staff• Awareness Raising Sessions Completed

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Pilot Development to Date

• Training Programme Set Up and Delivered

(Not traditional training but “Pilot Development”)• Multi Agency Staff Sessions • Go Live 11th June Soft Launch• Dedicated Link Officers available on site• Data gatherings tools set up to quantify outcomes• Programme of monitoring and roll out established • One year pilot with review planned

Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Pilot Staff Training Programme

Day 1

Introduction to the sessions

Recap on what Housing Options is about

Working together Look at the Housing

Options paperwork Solutions/referral routes

Day 2

Using the Housing Options Toolkit

Looking at people’s housing options using case studies

Testing period Role of the Link Officer Future training

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Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Glasgow Housing Options Toolkit Available Now

Employability and Volunteering Opportunities

Wide Range of Financial Inclusion Services

Legal Advice Private Rented Sector and

Rent Deposit Scheme Adaptations Furnished Lets Housing Alarm

Mutual Exchange Options Sheltered Accommodation Housing Support Health Services Helping Heroes Social Work Services Voluntary Organisations

Services Starter Packs Various Existing Policies Mortgage To Rent

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Housing Options – The right idea, at the right time

Glasgow Housing Options Toolkit To Be Developed Further

Property Buy Back Dedicated Mediation Service Mid Market Rent Information and Access Shared Equity Information and Access Private Rented Sector Increased Access Property Sharing and Applicant Matching Better Local Mutual Exchange Opportunities

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Housing OptionsThe Glasgow Pilot An RSL’s Perspective – Kevin Nixon: Head of Housing Services