Nottingham City Council has committed £200,000 towards a new housing initiative aimed at providing supported accommodation for rough sleepers with high support needs.
This decision comes as part of a broader city-wide strategy to address rough sleeping and severe disadvantage among the city’s homeless population.
The grant, awarded to Framework Housing Association, will go towards the development of a 20-unit supported accommodation facility specifically designed for individuals facing severe multiple disadvantages.
These individuals, who are often entrenched in homelessness, require intensive, specialised support that traditional housing solutions have been unable to provide.
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A council-conducted Strategic Gap Analysis, completed in December 2022, identified a critical shortfall in the availability of suitable accommodation for high-needs homeless individuals. The report underscored the need for two sites dedicated to single-sex accommodation, particularly targeting rough sleepers with severe support requirements. While a site for female rough sleepers has already been secured and development is underway, plans for male accommodation have faced significant challenges due to budget constraints.
A person sleeping in Bottle Lane in Nottingham
Despite Framework Housing Association successfully bidding for the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (SHAP), the costs of the male-focused facility have exceeded initial estimates. Framework has since appealed to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England for additional funding to close the gap.
The total shortfall for the project stands at £1.64 million, with the council’s contribution of £200,000 helping to bridge this funding gap. The majority of the remaining funds will be sought from Homes England and MHCLG, contingent upon securing full financial support. This grant from the council will only be made if the required funding from these partners is finalised.
The money stems from a pool of recycled funds, originally invested in affordable housing projects through a shared equity scheme. The council has been able to reinvest returns from these schemes into new housing initiatives, providing a vital financial resource for this project.
The funds have already been utilised for housing development and are being reinvested as per the terms of the original agreements.
The £200,000 would be made available subject to the finalisation of the remaining funding.
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