Councilors vote to buy homes for needy families

Cornwall councilors have agreed the authority will buy 50 extra homes to house homeless families.

On Wednesday, the Tory cabinet voted to buy new two- and three-bed houses, and some up to 10 years old, to use as temporary accommodation for homeless Cornish residents.

Earlier this year the council said there were around 800 families in Cornwall living in emergency accommodation such as hotels, caravan parks and hostels.

The new homes will be bought in big cities with big needs, councilors said.

Council leader Linda Taylor told Thursday’s meeting: “The two and three-bedroom properties will be delivered by the end of 2025 at a cost of up to £17.2m, generating a net saving for the council of £74 %, by not putting families in emergency housing. .”

She said the new homes would have a “significant positive and social impact” on families with children, those who have experienced the care system and people with mobility issues.

This would reduce the number of families being accommodated in expensive, pay-per-night emergency accommodation and thus “helps reduce excessive council spending”, she added.

Councilors agreed the new homes would be bought in Truro, Newquay, Falmouth, Penzance, Camborne, Redruth, St Austell, Liskeard, Hayle, Helston and Bodmin.

Labor councilor Kate Ewert told the BBC that the housing problem comes from the government.

She said: “Due to the Government’s lack of action on the growing housing crisis and the lack of planning by Cornwall Conservative Council, they are now having to buy housing on the open market as emergency and temporary accommodation for the more than 800 families who need them.

“We need a focus on taxing and regulating second homes, helping first-time buyers get on the housing ladder and building more social and council housing,” she added.

Liberal Democrat councilor Leigh Frost said there had been a “catastrophic increase” in the number of families needing help, with around 800 families needing emergency housing each month.

He said: “This is partly due to the increase in no-fault evictions and the government’s refusal to push through the Tenancy Reform Bill, which is now on the back burner due to the upcoming general election.”

He said that while there are more than 13,000 second homes and 20,000 Airbnbs, there are regularly fewer than 300 homes available for long-term rental across Cornwall.

He welcomed a plan to provide “stable and safe” housing for families in need, but called it “a drop in the ocean” when adult social care and home-to-school transport also need to be addressed.

A council survey earlier this year found around 30 per cent of its homes did not meet the government’s decent standard, largely due to the age of the properties, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Cornwall Council owns 10,300 homes in Cornwall.