Decrease housing for villainous sort (9)
I believe the answer is:
reprobate
'villainous sort' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'decrease housing for' is the wordplay.
'decrease' becomes 'rebate' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'housing' indicates putting letters inside.
'for' becomes 'pro' (as in being 'pro' or in favour of something).
'rebate' enclosing 'pro' is 'REPROBATE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for reprobate that I've seen before include "Rascal" , "Rogue" , "Sinner" , "base" , "Censure" .)