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Portsmouth To Become An 'Inclusive Recovery City'

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Following Portsmouth City Councils decision to become an inclusive recovery city, we wrote the following letter of support which was published in The News.

(An inclusive recovery city is a community that aims to create a supportive environment for people affected by addiction.These cities work to:

  • Remove barriers: Create spaces where people can access help and advice without facing barriers
  • Raise awareness: Promote understanding and challenge the stigma and shame associated with addiction
  • Celebrate recovery: Recognize the strength and resilience of people in recovery
  • Champion multiple pathways: Support a variety of paths to addiction recovery
  • Benefit the whole city: Believe that the city will grow and benefit from these efforts)

Our Letter To The News

Portsmouth Council's decision to become an 'Inclusive Recovery City' is commendable, but without a significant shift in both council policies and public attitudes, this vision risks remaining an admirable yet unfulfilled aspiration.

Hope House on Milton Road serves as the first step in the recovery journey for many individuals. While setbacks are inevitable at this stage, the public disdain frequently seen on social media when emergency services are called there is deeply disheartening. How will the public react when those completing their recovery at Hope House transition into homes across the city?

Research consistently shows that individuals in recovery achieve better outcomes in smaller households. These environments reduce the risk of one person's relapse destabilizing an entire residence. Unfortunately, Portsmouth's housing policies have pushed most small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) out of the city, replacing them with larger "super HMOs" with 7–10 bedrooms. While these properties are often high spec, they are prohibitively expensive.

Where individuals in recovery could once access affordable rooms in smaller shared houses, they now face rents in these larger properties that far exceed their benefit entitlements. This has caused council spending on emergency accommodation for single people to soar—from 722 cases in 2021 to 994 in 2023.

This situation creates a vicious cycle of dependency. Without access to affordable housing, individuals remain trapped in poverty, reliant on state support. This diminishes their chances of achieving independence and undermines Portsmouth's vision of a 'recovery city'.

The problem is compounded by the exodus of experienced small landlords from the city, frustrated by restrictive policies and rising costs. In their place, new developers—some prioritizing profit over the provision of stable and secure homes—are stepping in. While some do an excellent job, a number lack the expertise to manage these complex properties effectively, exacerbating housing challenges.

If Portsmouth continues to rely on the private rental sector, the council must offer landlords and their neighbours the same level of support provided to social housing. Councillors must recognize the vital role shared housing plays across the city and actively involve landlords in two-way communication with addiction services, police, and anti-social behaviour teams. Robust, early intervention is essential whenever signs of relapse arise to prevent the types of issues that fuel residents' concerns about HMOs.

Recent letters from landlords leaving the market highlight the urgency of this issue. If Portsmouth truly aspires to be an 'Inclusive Recovery City', it must address the root cause: the lack of affordable housing and support structures for those in need. Failure to act will undermine recovery efforts, increase financial burdens on taxpayers, and perpetuate the social challenges caused by unmet housing needs.

This is a vision worth pursuing, but words alone will not make it a reality. We must act now to ensure its success and the well-being of all residents. 

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