Factors that Influence the Outcomes of Single Homeless People's Rehousing

This paper examines the influences of biographical, behavioural, housing and neighbourhood attributes on housing satisfaction, settledness and tenancy sustainment for 400 single homeless people who were resettled into independent accommodation. It draws on evidence from FOR-HOME, a longitudinal study in London and three provincial English cities of resettlement outcomes over 18 months. There was a high rate of tenancy sustainment: after 15/18 months, 78 per cent of the participants were in their original tenancy, 7 per cent had moved to another tenancy and only 15 per cent no longer had a tenancy. Tenure greatly influenced tenancy sustainment, with moves into private-rented accommodation having the lowest rate of success. Several housing and neighbourhood characteristics had strong associations with the outcomes. The biographical and behavioural attributes that were influential in determining outcomes were being young, frequent family contacts, having been in care as a child and some features of the recent episode of homelessness.