Homelessness can be ended and housing associations have a crucial role

Crucially, it is also a realistic plan. Crisis recognises that there is always a risk that someone could lose their home. What matters is ensuring that this happens as rarely as possible, and that a quick, long-term solution exists when it does happen.

A key part of this, simply, is having enough homes. Crisis’s plan is underpinned by research we jointly commissioned earlier this year, which found that there is now a shortfall of four million homes in England. As a result, we need to build 340,000 new homes every year – of these, at least 90,000 must be for social rents. If building can be increased to these levels, it will go a long way towards meeting Crisis’s goal.

“Without enough homes to go around, we will struggle to do more than discuss how we can best ration a scarce resource.”

However, if we don’t take urgent steps to meet this need, it is hard to see how we can seriously tackle the growing crisis of homelessness in this country. Without enough homes to go around, we will struggle to do more than discuss how we can best ration a scarce resource.

So it’s important that we do all that we can to boost the supply of homes (especially affordable homes), minimising the chance of someone becoming homeless in the first place. To tackle homelessness, we must build new homes and create new communities – something which housing associations have an ambition to deliver.

At the same time, it’s also important that we use every available measure to support people who do find themselves homeless. Housing associations across the country do vital work here, offering much-needed accommodation and support. In turn, this helps to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness in people’s lives.

Crisis is right to recognise the role that the Housing First model has to play here. It provides vital support for people with complex needs, providing somewhere safe and stable to live as the matter of first priority. This then gives a secure foundation from which to tackle other deep-rooted challenges, without the precariousness that comes with homelessness.

Nevertheless, it’s important not to lose sight of the other ways to tackle homelessness. Housing First clearly has a vital role to play for some people with experience of homelessness, but it is not appropriate for everyone. For many, hostels and other supported accommodation can do a better job of meeting their specific needs. For example, Riverside’s Powerhouse centre in Liverpool combines temporary supported accommodation for young homeless people with skills training and counselling, helping them to move on to independent living. As a sector, we must continue to provide a holistic set of solutions to meet the huge variety of challenges faced by homeless people.

“Ultimately, to solve a problem as complex as homelessness, we need to make the most of every possible tool at our disposal.”

Ultimately, to solve a problem as complex as homelessness, we need to make the most of every possible tool at our disposal. We need innovative thinking to prevent homelessness in the first place, like Curo’s Passport to Housing, which helps residents to better manage their finances. We need to offer Housing First to the people who need it, while continuing to retain and invest in good quality short-term supported housing. And, crucially, we need support from the Government to help build more homes – especially social housing – taking away some of the broader pressures on our housing market.

This is not an easy undertaking, and nor is it something we should take lightly. Crisis has showed real vision in developing this plan to end homelessness. Now, we all need to work together – housing associations, charities, local authorities and all government departments – to make it a reality.

David Orr, chief executive, National Housing Federation