A £220,000 package to continue using a Kirkstall building to support homeless people has been agreed by council chiefs.
The building in Kirkstall has been used by Leeds City Council to house people who are
homeless or vulnerably housed for the last 20 years.
Documents released by the council show the un-named building is owned by Home Group and the council has had a contract with Home Group for a support service on site. The contract ended on the 31st March 2021.
The building was due to be developed for an alternative use but that is now not going to happen in the short term.
As a result Leeds Council has agreed to continue to use this building, which has nine self-contained flats and potential for two emergency beds, and offers a high standard of accommodation.
The council will use this accommodation, initially for the next 12 months, to provide additional temporary supported accommodation as a move on option for people who are homeless and who were previously supported in emergency accommodation throughout the pandemic.
The report concludes:
“The provision of this self-contained accommodation for nine clients and the potential for two emergency beds will enable the city to safely house and support some of the most vulnerable residents in Leeds, who have been even more impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The support costs will be funded by grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities
and Local Government. A management agreement will be put in place between Home Group and St George’s Crypt, the support provider.
The council’s decision can be read in full here.