Havering faces increasing demand for temporary accommodation. New data shows over 1200 households needed housing from April to June.
838 of those households included children. The total increased by 4.75 percent from the previous count of 1,180 between January and March, marking the second rise in a row.
Most people, 551 households nearly 45 percent, used private rentals via the council. The next most common option was council or housing association homes, which housed 261 families, about 21 percent.
Hostels housed roughly 16 percent of those needing help, while bed and breakfast hotels housed just over 9 percent. A council member has stated that Havering faces a housing crisis.
Private landlord evictions exacerbate homelessness, as landlords sell due to rising costs. Social housing is scarce, and funds are tight, compelling the council to prioritize new temporary housing.
Havering Council calls housing a big and urgent need. They plan to increase temporary housing options, convert a warehouse into homes, and build 18 modular homes.