Landlords fund-raising for the homeless

Landlords fund-raising for the homeless

13:47 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago 98

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We are interested in setting up a charity or alternatively setting up a crowdfunding page, to help the homeless. The idea is that private landlords, who already play a massive and critical role in housing in the UK – housing around 5 million households, including many who would otherwise be homeless – add to our role by making a further contribution to alleviate homelessness and the misery it causes.

Our main emphasis will be in helping to get roofs over people’s heads. We will stand apart from organisations like Shelter which provide no housing. This means that landlords who want to contribute in this way will have the opportunity of really helping.

I have started this thread with the aim of encouraging any ideas, offers of help and so on and we can see what interest there is in this and then take it further.

We can then also see, for example, what role the main landlord organisations may like to take – especially in encouraging their membership to donate, for example.

But we must get it right. It has to be concrete, practical help and we will all offer our time for free and stand to gain nothing from it personally.

Thoughts below please.


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Chris Novice Shark Bait

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13:11 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

The problems would include need to vet the clientele. Expensive!
Amongst those we may seek to support there will be a higher prevalence of disillusioned and unstable individuals with a plethora of mental health issues, so NHS input/assistance and crisis intevention suads etc required. Would really require government backed multidisciplinary approach to succeed.
A small pilot backed by the nations landlords may put the government to shame and do landlords no harm.
Should we back any already established shemes and publisise, rather do nothing?

Alex Jonstone

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13:25 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

I have heard of a footballer who has persuaded others to hand over 1% of their salary to start a soccer foundation for kids in impoverished areas.
Could this be a workable fund raising methods if landlords did the same?
Might it be a deductible expense?

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

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13:29 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Robert Mellors at 29/11/2017 - 12:10
Why are the support workers not funded by Social Services?

Robert M

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13:50 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 29/11/2017 - 13:29
Hi Mark

Most single homeless people do not fall within the remit of qualifying for help from Social Services, the few that do qualify for help from Social Services, need to have an address before they can access such services. In many instances there is deep distrust of Social Services because of prior events in the person's life and the perception, true or otherwise, of being "let down" by Social Services (and other authorities). Even for the few residents (less than 5% of our residents) that have managed to get support from Social Services, the type of support provided is not holistic, it does not address their needs, and in some cases it actually makes matters worse for the resident.

Many homeless people have mental health issues (often masked by more obvious drug or alcohol dependencies), but they may not be engaging with the services that can help them. One of the first things that our Support Workers do, after the person has settled into the hostel, is get the person registered with a GP and a dentist (most are not registered, and cannot therefore access any health services at all, apart from A&E at the local hospital). Once registered with a GP they can then get referrals to the mental health service teams. We do not provide counselling or treatment, but we can help the person to access the services they need, and then liaise with those services on the resident's behalf.

Social Services will not not fund our support workers. The Council will not not fund our support workers. As far as I have found so far, no charities or grant making trusts will fund our support workers. That is why we had to develop a completely different, and unique, way of funding them, without reliance upon the whims of central or local government.

Dr Rosalind Beck

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14:04 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Alex Jonstone at 29/11/2017 - 13:25
That is definitely worth considering.

Chris Novice Shark Bait

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14:07 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

Hi Robert. You seem to be a pioneer with laudable intentions but you have your fingers in the Dyke. Bless you. If you are not either very brave or wealthy how do you rationalise this philanthropic activity. Is it likely to become contagious, among-st landlords seeking to survive under the heavy cosh? You have a great deal of experience working in these quarters and thanks for sharing. I do feel there may be something in this to counter Shelter and other assumed charities that clearly fall short.

Sam Addison

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14:30 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

In principle it seems a great idea and I would support it but of course the devil is in the details. It seems as though Robert knows what he is doing so it might be an idea to take his model and duplicate it in another city (and possibly more later). I doubt that we can start big but we can certainly make a start somewhere. I know a little about what is happening about homelessness in Manchester and could probably find out more without too much trouble.

NewYorkie

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14:45 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Sam Addison at 29/11/2017 - 14:30I agree with Sam. We could consider 'extending' Robert's model, with crowdfunding from landlords, and anyone else who has a moral compass.
I will be moving to York next year, and have noticed an increase in rough sleepers over the past few months. I would be interested in getting something up and running there (not too far from Robert's operation in Sheffield). York is a Quaker city, and this is likely to be something which would fit with their values.

Zaher Waljee

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15:54 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

I will be happy to contribute if funds collected are used for the purpose o housing homless

Sue Bird

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18:43 PM, 29th November 2017, About 7 years ago

HI - COunt me in, I would be happy to be involved.

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