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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Sammy Gecsoyler

London councils buy £140m of property to move homeless people out of city

People sitting on benches in Harlow town centre, with a large former office block looming over them which has been converted into apartments
Harlow is the most popular local authority for London councils to buy homes in, with 164 acquired there since 2017. Photograph: Andy Hall/The Observer

London councils and housing companies they own have spent more than £140m buying up homes to relocate homeless people out of the city.

More than a dozen councils in the capital have collectively spent millions buying up more than 850 properties in towns and cities across England since 2017, Guardian analysis of property ownership data found.

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