Matt Downie has been at Crisis for over a decade and its CEO since 2022. In that time the homelessness crisis has got worse, despite successive governments throwing millions of pounds at it.

With unwanted records being broken with every statistical release, Crisis has had enough of sticking-plaster, short-term solutions and the failure of housing associations to play their part in addressing homelessness. It feels direct action is needed so it’s becoming a landlord in its own right.

In this wide-ranging interview, Downie discusses the charity’s long-term plan to become a registered provider, his disappointment at the government’s new strategy to end homelessness, and why allocations schemes and affordability checks mean social housing is no longer available to the poorest in society. HQM editor Jon Land asks the questions.

Read the full interview from HQM here.