Offering shelter is not enough to tackle Glasgow's homelessness crisis
A housing summit in Glasgow has been told efforts need to improve if the city is to solve its homelessness problem.
Susanne Millar, chief officer of Glasgow’s health and social care partnership, said there was not an issue with available accommodation but those with greatest need weren’t being readily identified via support services.
Millar told the conference: “We are not getting enough people though quickly enough from homeless to housing.
"While we want to focus on those sleeping rough on the streets last night or tonight in Glasgow , looking at a snapshot is not providing solutions."
The priority should be on those with chaotic lifestyles and multiple problems she said.
Billy Mitchell, former night shelter manager with Glasgow City Mission said more services were vital. “Almost every night we have someone with mental health issues,” he said.
Lorraine McGrath, of the Simon Community, told of people who had come through the City Ambition Network (|CAN).
She said one man ‘Peter’ had been rough sleeping for seven years and eventually through the CAN he was able to get an sustain a tenancy.
A recent report claimed four homeless people are dying every month on the streets of Glasgow - one death each week.
Shelter Scotland estimate that as many as 5,000 people sleep rough in Scotland every year, while over 10,000 households were in temporary accommodation last year.
