Temporary Accommodation

Insufficient evidence available

Insufficient evidence available

Insufficient evidence available
What is this intervention?
Temporary accommodation is a type of accommodation sometimes provided to people experiencing homelessness. Temporary housing may include various types of accommodation such as hostels managed by the local council, hostels managed by charities, or flats and houses rented through a private property owner. In temporary housing, the participant will be charged rent that may or may not be supplemented with state or government welfare monies.
A key difference between temporary housing and other types of accommodation offered to individuals experiencing homelessness is that the individual has not yet been offered a stable or permanent alternative.
Although rules may differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, certain guidelines are often in place to ensure that temporary housing is not offered to women who are pregnant, families, or children under 18. These vulnerable groups are often prioritised and offered stable housing in a timelier manner.
Key criticisms of temporary housing are related to the removal of basic tenancy rights. This means that the person experiencing homelessness may not be provided with a standard notice of eviction. Additionally, resource demands on the council including a lack of appropriate housing, or funding issues mean that some individuals are not provided with enough information on the length of their stay in temporary housing and may reside in an unstable position for longer than is appropriate.
What is its goal?
Temporary housing is viewed as a transitional accommodation that will provide the short-term solution of shelter from individuals experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Other services may be required to assist the individual/s to more permanent and stable accommodation.