Three houses have been snapped up by a newly created not-for-profit social enterprise to house 15 of Wisbech’s homeless.
All three acquired by the Supported Housing Fellowship (SHF) were formerly used as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
SHF chief executive Abdul Khan – a former Wisbech Grammar School student - is confident he can bring renewed hope to help combat the homelessness crisis.
Mr Khan launched the SHF earlier this year after leaving his role as chief operating officer at a national housing association.
“We aim to give people a very good home who have got nothing,” Mr Khan said.
“As Covid started stabilising, I thought the best way was to bring it home in terms of delivering supported housing.”
Since welcoming its first tenants in January, Mr Khan has provided supported housing for 21 people in Peterborough.
The SHF, which receives help from Peterborough City Council, was then recommended to Fenland District Council to deliver accommodation and support to residents in the district.
“We want to give tenants autonomy and provide a wrap-a-round support to help with anything like budgeting, finding jobs,” he said.
“In Wisbech, we are concentrating on getting 15 people off the streets.”
Referrals are being accepted, but Mr Khan said they may not be available to move into until two months’ time.
“We want to operate organically and don’t want to neglect towns like March,” he said.
SHF aims to provide 50 supported housing units in Fenland and Peterborough by the end of 2022.
Mr Khan said the SHF is “actively looking for more properties” in other Fenland towns. “A lot of those people are homeless, but they are not hopeless," he added.
Those interested in moving into a SHF property should first contact FDC’s housing team by emailing: housingadvice@fenlandgov.uk or call 01354 654321.
The SHF is looking to recruit a senior support worker at up to £30,000 a year and volunteers – for more details, email Mr Khan at: abdul@supportedhousingfellowship.co.uk.
The three HMOs he has acquired are in York Road – previously a three-bedroom semi but now a four-bedroom house following refurbishment. It is licensed for six residents.
The others are in Lynn Road and the third a former NHS assisted care home near the town centre.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here