Council acquires homeless hostel for families forced onto Harrogate's streets

The borough council is acquiring Avondale Hostel which is already used to accommodate up to 17 homeless households.

Madeleine Bell, head of housing and property at the council, told a virtual meeting the purchase from owners Harrogate Housing Association will mean council staff can spend more time with struggling families.

"Homelessness is a very distressing time for people", she said.

"Operating facilities in a building that somebody else owns adds a layer of complexity which if we were to own ourselves would be taken away.

"It would allow officers to spend more time supporting families and working with them to secure permanent accommodation to enable them to move on with their lives."

The council has more hostels in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough.

It is also building a 19-bed hostel on Spa Lane, Harrogate, which has been hit by coronavirus delays and is now expected to open later this year.

Ms Bell said: "Our housing options staff work very hard to try prevent homelessness.

"Regrettably, through no-ones fault, that just isn't possible and we have the temporary accommodation as a safety net to enable people to have somewhere safe, sound and secure that they can move into.

"The purchase of the Avondale will allow us to ensure that the safety net is present in perpetuity for the people of the Harrogate district."

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter

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