Somerset Charity Pivots to Buying Homes for Rough Sleepers

A charitable organization in Somerset, focused on aiding the homeless, intends to purchase four residential properties to house individuals experiencing homelessness. Julian House has outlined intentions to acquire existing residences to assist homeless individuals within the Mendip region, following the rejection of its proposal for a new facility in Glastonbury. In November 2023, the organization submitted an application to construct four single-bedroom ‘move on’ accommodations within the parking area of St. Edmund’s Community Hall in Glastonbury. Somerset Council’s planning committee denied the permission request in early June, citing concerns that the project would jeopardize the hall’s operational sustainability and pose a threat to local residents. The charity, which annually assists approximately 2,000 individuals, has now disclosed its acquisition of four properties intended to offer supported housing. Each of these properties will house single homeless individuals, each assigned a dedicated support worker. Occupants are anticipated to reside there for a period of one to two years before transitioning into their own permanent housing. Homes England will contribute up to £740,000 towards the purchase expenses of these properties, funds that were initially designated for the Glastonbury location. Helen Bedser, chief executive of Julian House, stated: “We understand local people’s concerns about the potential impact on their community. There will probably never be a ‘perfect’ site for this project – but it is our job to give a voice to, and advocate for, people who have been through the terrible experience of homelessness and rough sleeping.” Recent government statistics indicate that the number of individuals sleeping rough in Somerset has increased by 19 per cent within a single year. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP declared £10m in urgent funding to assist local authorities in delivering direct aid to homeless individuals this winter. This sum is in addition to the £233m allocated in the Labour government’s inaugural budget to address homelessness. Somerset Council is set to receive £137,448 from this £10m allocation, though the exact expenditure plan for the upcoming weeks and months has not yet been specified. Ms. Bedser expressed ongoing optimism that modular housing solutions could be implemented in other parts of Somerset to contribute to addressing homelessness. Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.