Innovative partnership helps house homeless families

AN innovative three-way partnership has led to temporary homes being provided for some 80 homeless families in Leeds providing more suitable accommodation and making substantial cost savings.

The partnership came about after Craig Simons, Operations Director at Leeds Jewish Housing Association (LJHA) and TLA’s CEO Steve Hoey were in an online meeting during Covid and, knowing little of each other’s Leeds-based organisations, arranged to meet to find out more.  

Fast forward a while later and in October ’23 LJHA were about to embark on a redevelopment project that involved the demolition of 40 one / two-bedroom flats in Moortown to make way for 26 two / three-bedroom houses plus two flats. Existing tenants were being rehoused over a 12-month period in readiness for work to begin in Spring ’25 but it meant for most of 2024 these flats would be standing empty.

With increasing homelessness and homeless families in desperate need of suitable accommodation until they could be permanently rehoused, Craig contacted Steve to explore ideas to put the vacant flats to good use leading to LJHA and TLA joining forces with Leeds City Council’s Housing Options.

Leeds Housing Options already worked with TLA on providing homes to accommodate homeless families, so existing arrangements were extended to incorporate LJHA’s flats into that property portfolio. The three partners worked closely holding joint meetings and inspections to agree the properties that met required standards and ensure the proposed arrangement would work.

LJHA then let the flats to TLA who was responsible for their maintenance and management, ensuring the properties were safe and fit for purpose, ready for Leeds Housing Options to use to accommodate families as they waited for long term homes to be available.

In all, 32 of the flats housed 80 families in need from February ’24 – January ’25, providing a better standard of temporary accommodation, a more cost-effective alternative to hotel or B&B accommodation, and enabled LJHA to avoid long term loss of income.

Kerrie Murray, Head of Service at Leeds Housing Options said the impact of the partnership arrangement was significant.

“The opportunity to work with LJHA and TLA in a different way to provide accommodation for families has been a fantastic success, it shows what can be achieved when partners come together to try something innovative. The feedback we received from families was very positive, we hope that the success of this project will pave the way for new opportunities in the future.”

Craig Simons and Steve Hoey were just as pleased with the outcome of the partnership. “The prospect of homes standing empty during a housing crisis didn’t sit well with LJHA so being able to put them to good use providing homeless families with stability was great,” said Craig.

“The new residents made friends with our neighbouring tenants who liked what we were doing in supporting the wider community which is another big win.”

Steve Hoey added: “This partnership shows what can be achieved through collaboration, thinking creatively and taking an innovative approach. TLA is pleased to have played a role in this, and I hope to see more housing and homelessness service providers working together to utilise empty properties and ease the pressure on the housing system.”