The Welsh Government has announced a £30m pot from which councils can pay for easing properties from private landlords.
Under the Welsh Government’s new Private Rented Sector Leasing Scheme, launched today, landlords or owners of empty homes will be encouraged to lease properties to local authorities in return for a rent guarantee and funding to improve the condition of their property.
Local authorities can then use these units to provide affordable and good quality homes for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Tenants will benefit from long-term tenures of five to 20 years and help maintain their stay in a long-term home, via mental health support or debt and money management advice.
The Welsh Government has already said it will build 20,000 low carbon, good quality and affordable homes for rent over the next five years.
The new Homelessness Action Plan – according to a statement from the Welsh Government – builds on the “unprecedented work undertaken by local authorities, social landlords, public services and third sector partners, who have provided accommodation and support for more than 15,000 people experiencing or threatened with homelessness during the pandemic.”