Micro-Homes For The Homeless

A city council and a homelessness charity are working together to try and provide micro-homes for the homeless. Worcester City Council has granted planning permission to The Homeless Foundation for an iKozie Micro-Home. The self-contained, fully-fitted home is designed to house young people who find themselves homeless and provide a base to enable them get back on their feet. Inspired by yacht interiors and first class airline suites, the iKozie measures 186 square foot (17.25sqm), and will be built using modular construction off-site and lifted into position via a crane in the back garden of an existing house upon completion. The idea is to use it as move-on accommodation to help the homeless people transition from hostels into independent living. Read more on the Housing Excellence website.

Council to Re-Run HMO Consultation after Finding Flaw

A council has decided to re-run its public consultation on rules controlling which homes can be converted into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) after discovering a possible discrepancy with its online survey. Worcester City Council is urging everyone who responded to the previous consultation to do so again. The council agreed last year to make it a requirement for landlords to seek planning permission to convert a normal home into an HMO containing between three and six-beds. It is also proposed that no more than two properties next door to each other can be converted into HMOs. Read more on the WCC website.

Council Halves Housing Applicants

Worcester City Council has almost halved the number of applicants on its housing waiting list, after streamlining its application process.  A major review of households on the city’s social housing register has led to the creation of a system called Home Choice Plus - which the council says will result in high profile applicants being given homes faster.  At the start of April there were 4,500 applicants on the register. The council’s strategic housing team contacted them all and asked them to re-register, giving them three months to respond. Any that did not reply were removed from the list.  The result is that there are now 2,393 households listed. Read more on 24dash.