Plan to boost homeless accommodation by a quarter

Plans to increase the number of temporary homes for people facing homelessness in North Yorkshire by almost 25% are set to be considered by councillors.

North Yorkshire Council is proposing to invest £18m to increase the number of new temporary accommodation homes it will build across the county from 90 to 112.

The authority said spending on temporary and emergency accommodation had "risen significantly" in recent years, increasing from just over £500,000 in 2019-20 to more than £2.1m in 2022-23.

Councillor Simon Myers said: "Everyone deserves access to safe, secure and suitable accommodation when they are facing difficult circumstances."

Council officers said the additional properties would help reduce reliance on hotels and bed-and-breakfast accommodation, while providing more suitable housing for vulnerable households.

If approved, the scheme could save up to £2.7m a year in emergency accommodation costs, a spokesperson said.

The council currently has access to 191 purpose-built and converted temporary accommodation units across North Yorkshire, some of which it owns and manages.

However, councillors have been told provision is unevenly distributed across the county, with a shortage of smaller homes, particularly one and two-bedroom properties.

Councillors initially planned to create 90 extra homes but has since found it needs to increase that number to 112.

The council has already created 20 temporary homes, while a further 40 properties are being renovated before being brought into use.

Myers, the council's executive member for housing, said demand for homelessness support had increased significantly in recent years.

He said: "By increasing our delivery programme, we can provide more people with appropriate accommodation as part of a long-term solution, while continuing our commitment to preventing homelessness and rough sleeping."

Nationally, councils are facing growing pressure to support people at risk of homelessness.

A council spokesperson said more than 132,000 households were living in temporary accommodation in England in June 2025, the highest figure since records began.

The proposals form part of the council's homelessness and rough sleeping strategy, which was adopted last year.

The plans are due to be discussed by the council's executive on Tuesday.

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