New homeless facility opens in Grimsby
Swan house has 29 apartments
Last updated 21st Feb 2024
A new facility for homeless people in Grimsby has opened its doors.
Swan house is a 29 apartment building which has been fully refurbished and is designed to offer a secure environment with support available there.
The council has previously used a lot of B and Bs or hotels to accommodate and feel this will be a much more suitable alternative as well as reducing costs.
It will provide much needed accommodation in North East Lincolnshire for people eligible for legally required homelessness assistance.
It has fully fitted kitchens and washing machines
In Swan House, people will be offered recently furnished smart one and two-bed apartments within a secure complex.
Residents will have fully fitted kitchens and appliances, such as washing machines, to enable them to live safely and do their own cooking and washing.
The council’s cabinet and senior officers of the local authority’s home options team went on a tour of the facilities, with a chance to meet some of the new residents.
Deputy council leader Cllr Stan Shreeve, who has responsibilities for adult social care, spoke to one resident who has health needs but was determined to use Swan House as a stepping stone to independent life.
Support is available at the facility
“This is a great example of how we, as a council, can really support people to the extent that we may well be helping to save lives.”
Support is also available at the facility from the council and its partners to help those who may have issues with money, benefits, or health and wellbeing.
Round-the-clock housing management, and external and internal CCTV also ensures security.
Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson, who also has responsibility for housing, said: “We were very excited at the idea of Swan House when we approved it at cabinet last year, and now having seen it in person, it brings the idea to life.
This facility will have such a positive impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people in our borough.
We’re very excited to see where this project will take us in helping homeless people
“It is clear to see that the home options team have worked hard, thinking how Swan House will benefit those living there but also how it can add to the community around it.
They have thought about every minor detail down to frosted glass in the hallways, so neighbours still have privacy in their gardens, and initiatives to keep the alleyways clean and tidy.
“Swan House welcoming its residents is a fantastic achievement and we’re very excited to see where this project will take us in helping homeless people in North East Lincolnshire,” added Cllr Jackson.
The council’s cabinet agreed to lease the building last summer.
The council secured £700,000 from the Government for the project
A non-registered social housing provider had indicated interest, and this would have resulted in a £300,000 housing allowance claim back reduction to the council, had the local authority not leased the building.
As well as saving this cost, the council successfully secured £700,000 from government late last year to ready Swan House for its new use.
In 2022, the majority of people entitle to legally required homeless assistance and put up by the council in temporary accommodation, were placed in B&Bs and hotels.
Almost 4,000 people contacted the council’s homelessness prevention scheme last year for advice and assistance.