A charity said it was "not surprised" when it was revealed homelessness in Harlow had risen by 50% in just one year.
According to data from HM Government’s Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, there were 90 registered homeless adults in Harlow from October to December 2021 compared with 60 in the same period in 2020.
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Streets2Homes aims to offer a place where all the street and hidden homeless can rest, make friends and get assistance.
Kerrie Eastman, a spokesperson for Streets2Homes, said: “Sadly, we are not surprised that homelessness has increased over the past year.
“Rough-sleeping is also only one aspect of homelessness, which also includes ‘sofa surfing’ and being in temporary accommodation such as B&Bs and hostels, these are the ‘hidden homeless’ and, as such, are not represented in statistics, so the actual homeless figure will be much higher.”
The charity says that demand for housing in Harlow always outstrips availability and is looking for landlords who are willing to work with it to provide accommodation.
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