Project provides up to 56 rooms across 14 properties close to Middlesbrough city centre.
HSPG expects to deliver up to 650 affordable homes this year, as figures reveal 130,000 households in England were made homeless during the first year of the pandemic.
HSPG, the UK’s leading social impact real estate firm, has opened a new housing project in Middlesbrough to provide emergency accommodation for tenants at risk of homelessness. The project was delivered together with their charity partner, who works to help vulnerable individuals access housing opportunities.
The project provides 56 rooms across 14 properties and will be fully maintained by HSPG. Individuals will be able to secure tenancies within the emergency housing from anywhere between a few weeks to six months, with the prospect for second stage move on accommodation as well as prolonged tenancies to those who require additional support. The properties are located within walking distance of Middlesbrough city centre and a range of amenities for residents.
The opening of the project comes as demand for emergency and affordable accommodation is climbing from those at risk of homelessness. This month, it was revealed that 130,000 households in England were made homeless during the first year of the pandemic alone. This adds to an already urgent problem, with core homelessness rising year on year in England for the last five years.
HSPG is committed to provided supported and affordable housing throughout the UK, having completed four further housing projects this month already across the country. HSPG is expecting to deliver around £100m of affordable homes this year via low-cost rent and shared ownership schemes, providing a pathway for those at risk of homelessness towards a permanent and high-quality home.
The tender with Middlesbrough Council for the 14 properties was signed in July 2020, with the first tenants moving into the accommodation in June this year.
David Searle, COO of HSPG, commented: “We are incredibly proud to have opened this housing project in Middlesbrough with our charity partners, who share our vision to make affordable housing accessible to some of the most vulnerable individuals in the UK. Homelessness levels are rising and only set to increase further as the social and economic effects of the pandemic make themselves felt. We are committed to helping as many people as possible have access to housing and this project is testament to what we can achieve working closely with our partners.”
Tom Finch, Head of Asset Management at HSPG, commented: “Together with our partners and Middlesbrough Council, we identified an urgent need for emergency accommodation for those at risk of homelessness in Middlesbrough, so we are delighted to have now opened our doors to tenants. Everyone, regardless of their situation, has a right to safe, affordable homes and I’m very proud that we were able to deliver this much-needed project within an 11-month period.”
This marks the first project for HSPG in Middlesbrough, a priority region for continued activity to support individuals in the area access affordable housing. HSPG, which launched in 2015, began delivering affordable and supported housing in Manchester and has since continued to expand its activity across the UK to address the increasing shortage of affordable housing and rising levels of homelessness.
