Regenda Homes is working with Petrus Community and The Bond Board to roll out the third phase of Greater Manchester Housing First (GMHF) across Bolton, Bury and Rochdale.
Endorsed by the Greater Manchester Housing Providers and led by Great Places Housing Group, the consortium also includes Riverside, Jigsaw Homes Group, Stockport Homes Group and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust and will help to deliver over 400 new homes for people previously sleeping rough, or at risk of homelessness, across all 10 local authority areas of Greater Manchester.
Housing First uses housing as a platform to enable individuals with multiple and complex needs to begin recovery and move away from homelessness.
The Housing First approach was first developed by Pathways to Housing in New York in the early-1990s. It has since been adopted in several major cities in the United States as well as in many other countries, including Denmark, France and Finland.
The project is already seeing great results in Manchester, Oldham, Stockport and Tameside and will soon be rolled out in Salford, Trafford and Wigan.
Regenda Homes is the zone lead for GMHF in Bolton, Bury and Rochdale, with Petrus Community and The Bond Board providing accommodation and support to people who use the service.
Andy Carberry, Director of Care and Support at Regenda Homes, said: “We’re delighted to be a part of the Greater Manchester Housing First consortium, who bring together significant experience and expertise to help tackle homelessness and support people off the streets.
“We’re particularly excited to be working with Petrus Community and The Bond Board across our zone and are looking forward to contributing towards Housing First’s international success”.
Rekha Patel-Harrison, Head of Petrus, said: “There is a growing number of rough sleepers in Rochdale and across Greater Manchester, and we want to be a part of a bigger solution and help find everyone a home.
“Housing First is based on people’s strengths, goals and aspirations, which we already believe is key to success. We can’t wait to implement this across our zone”.
Andrew Beeput, Chief Officer of The Bond Board, said: “‘Housing First provides a great opportunity to work together to deliver much needed accommodation and support to some of our most vulnerable residents. Everyone needs a place to call home and we look forward to being part of a Greater Manchester wide effort to make a real difference to the lives of the homeless so they can re-establish themselves in the community and move forward in their lives”.
Emily Cole GMHF Programme Lead said “The role out of the pilot across Bolton, Bury and Rochdale marks another significant day for the programme, which will be delivering Housing First at a scale never seen before in this country. It is a really exciting time for all partners”.
For more information about GMHF visit: www.gmhousingfirst.org.uk