An exciting new development of 57 apartments in York is now being furnished ready to give homeless households additional high-quality accommodation and support, to help them transition from becoming homeless at this difficult time, to finding a new settled home.
Families and couples experiencing homelessness will benefit from the self-contained apartments together with its staff offices and flexible training spaces. All of the spacious apartments have separate bedrooms and living space, plus a shower room and generous storage. Nearly 160 people can be safely and comfortably accommodated at this city-centre location which is owned and managed by City of York Council.
The apartments will be allocated to people who the council has been unable to prevent becoming homeless. They will then be found more settled accommodation, usually in social housing or suitable private rented accommodation. For the duration of the coronavirus emergency, existing temporary accommodation at Ordnance Lane, Crombie House and Howe Hill Hostel will also continue to be used to support homeless households.
Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods at City of York Council, said: “James House is newly converted to provide a very high standard of temporary accommodation for to up to 160 people in self-contained one-, two- and three-bedroomed apartments. It includes facilities for on-site support services and training that will help residents move on into settled accommodation usually either in social housing or the private rented sector.
“During the coronavirus emergency it will provide very welcome extra capacity. We are only moving households when it is essential to do so and we will do it as safely as possible. The 57 apartments will support the safe social distancing households need, and will support self-isolation too.
“I’d like to thank the staff from across housing teams who have worked long and hard to ensure that we can get this facility open. I’m delighted that we are able to add this to our range of support services for homeless households at this time.”
The council is continuing to run services for people who are concerned about becoming homeless and need advice on their options. This is being done online or by phone on 01904 554500 or visit www.york.gov.uk/homelessness/housing-options.
Work to support our tenants also includes halting the first three months of this year’s annual housing rent increase. This is in addition to ongoing work to help people avoid homelessness through, for example, financial hardship, relationship breakdown or, issues with private landlords. We’re also working with landlords across the city to support them and minimise evictions.
We’re prioritising our building services’ work to prepare empty council homes for re-letting and plan to continue working with hotels and B&Bs for the duration of the lockdown to keep people safely accommodated until they are allocated more permanent housing.
