The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
City’s largest homeless hostel set to close doors
SERVICES: Jessie Devlin Close will be turned into smaller unit with more support
Dundee’s largest hostel for homeless people is to close as part of a drive to find permanent accommodation for people living on the streets.
Charity Transform intends to close the 33-bed Jessie Devlin Close, on Soapwork Lane, at the end of next month.
The move comes as campaigners warned Scotland is facing a “homeless deaths emergency” after new figures revealed an estimated 195 people died while either sleeping rough or in temporary accommodation in 2018.
Two people died in the Soapwork Lane hostel in a week in August 2018.
That year there were an estimated six deaths, five of which were confirmed, in Dundee.
There were six estimated deaths in Fife, four in Perth and Kinross and none in Angus.
Simon Laidlaw, chief executive of Transform, said the intention is to replace the hostel with a smaller unit offering secured tenancies and targeted support.
Dundee City Council is one of five Scottish pathfinder local authorities for the Housing First model, which aims to fast-track homeless people into permanent accommodation.
Mr Laidlaw said: “The government has moved their priority towards Housing First. We are running that in Dundee and it is proving to be quite successful, so there will be a need for less temporary accommodation.
“One of the biggest challenges with temporary accommodation is when you put 33 people with different issues in one place.
“What we will be doing, in partnership with Dundee City Council, is providing intensive support in a smaller unit where people will have secure tenancy rights.”
Mr Laidlaw said Housing First has enjoyed a 96% success rate since it was launched in Dundee last year.
Mike Cordiner, who founded the Eagles Wings Trust charity, said there will still be a need for temporary accommodation in Dundee.
He said: “I think Housing First is great but there needs to be accommodation in place for people who need that support.”
The council’s neighbourhood services convener Anne Rendall said: “The issues surrounding homelessness are complex and, along with partners, we have been making every effort to ensure that the services we provide meet needs across the city.
“Anyone who needs advice or support should contact our housing options and lettings team at the east district housing office.”