Oxford extends investment in homelessness fund
0Oxford City Council has invested in the National Homelessness Property Fund (NHFP), managed by social impact investment company Resonance.
Along with two charities, the council has put £5.2m into the fund, which purchases houses for homeless people, helping them into independent living.
The funds are now worth £160m, providing almost 700 homes nationwide.
Linda Smith, Deputy Leader of Oxford City Council and board member for leisure and housing, explains why the council has invested again: “The growing gap between local housing allowance rates and actual rents makes it increasingly difficult for us to use the private rented sector to prevent homelessness in Oxford.
“Investing in the NHPF again means we can keep providing suitable and affordable private rented accommodation locally, and this will particularly help to prevent homelessness for working families on low wages.”
Oxford City Council was one of the original investors into the NHPF when it was launched in December 2015, along with Bristol and Milton Keynes councils and Big Society Capital.