Rough sleeping in Plymouth is on the decline for the third consecutive year.
In figures released by the government on Thursday, numbers from the official snapshot recorded in November 2020 showed that 16 people were found sleeping rough, compared to 19 in 2019, 23 in 2018 and 26 in 2017.
The count has a set criteria and includes people seen sleeping or about to bed down or bedded down in the open air in in tents or doorways or people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation like stairwells or car parks.
The Plymouth Alliance is made up of seven different organisations working together to deliver homelessness support and accommodation as well as drug and alcohol and mental health support and was commissioned by the Council in April 2019. The partners are Bournemouth Churches Housing Association, Harbour, Shekinah, the Zone, Plymouth Access To Housing (PATH), Livewell Southwest and Hamoaze.
This recent drop in rough sleeping numbers is testament to this way of commissioning and the Alliance, who have continued to work tirelessly throughout the pandemic to respond to the Government's 'Everyone In' initiative.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet member for Housing and Cooperative Development, said: "Whilst the announced reduction in rough sleeping numbers is good news, this is only a snapshot and I know the numbers have continued to decrease as the work towards our vision to end the need for anyone to sleep rough in Plymouth continues. But clearly just one person sleeping rough is one person too many.
"I'd like to thank the Alliance for all of the work they have done over the past year. It's not been easy, but everyone has come together to provide sometimes lifesaving services for the people who need them the most at the time they needed them most."
Following the Government’s ‘Everyone In’ directive in March 2020, the Alliance was able to secure COVID-safe supported accommodation for those vulnerable to rough sleeping within 48 hours.
Quickly, two properties were leased to provide 26 individual rooms with staff from across the Alliance providing 24-hour support. The day centre kitchen, which closed during the pandemic, delivered hot meals to the houses instead. In the first six months of the pandemic, just these properties supported 70 people in total, 22 people moved on to supported accommodation and 5 directly into their own private rented homes.
One resident said: "With the help of the project, my support needs are being met by the staff, and I’ve been supported onto an educational course that has provided much needed structure to my days.
"I can start to sleep better and I have been helped by the workers to speak to a GP. This meant I got a referral for my mental health which has been great for me.”
A further 44 rooms were also leased and the existing supported overnight shelter completely redesigned and adapted to provide eight COVID safe individual sleep rooms and two self-contained sleep PODS.
Councillor Penberthy added: "When we commissioned The Plymouth Alliance we knew that partners working together with us in this way was the right way to go and if the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that we can do things differently and better for the people who need our support.
"We've been able to do some really innovative things and there is a commitment to continue working in this way."