The politics, law and practice of “intentional homelessness”: 1—housing debt

Abstract

Abstract Applications to local authorities under the homelessness legislation (now Part 111 of the Housing Act 1985), have increased steadily since its introduction in 1977. While some 57,000 households were accepted as homeless in 1979, some 116,000 households were accepted as homeless in 1990 (Shelter, 1988; National Audit Office, 1990). The public housing sector has been considerably reduced since 1980 by right to buy sales and restrictions on new building; councils' stocks have declined by some 750,000 units (Loveland, 1992). Consequently many councils face growing difficulties in meeting their legal obligations to homeless persons (ADC 1987; 1988). The homelessness legislation does not create universal “rights” to council housing. The Callaghan government's severe financial difficulties made it unwilling to countenance so potentially expensive a commitment. Moreover the Act emerged from a Private Members' Bill presented by the Liberal MP Steven Ross. Although he received tacit government support, the...