Meriden MP Dame Caroline Spelman has welcomed the opening of a new supported housing development with provide short term accommodation for local people who are homeless.
The £2.3 million centre, which has been funded through grants supplied by Solihull Council and the Government's Homes and Communities Agency, boasts 21 accommodation unites, on site support staff and facilities including secure communal gardens and a computer suite.
As well as providing high quality temporary accommodation, Ipswich House in Chelmsley Wood serves to improve upon Solihull’s offer to homeless people who the council are not legally bound to support - helping to fulfil an objective the local authority set out in the Council’s Homelessness Strategy.
Dame Caroline Spelman, who joined Solihull Community Housing Chief Executive, Fiona Hughes to open the centre said, ‘Every year I am contacted by a number of people from across Solihull whose changing circumstances mean that they are all of a sudden confronted with the challenging issues associated with being homeless’.
‘There are many reasons why people find themselves homes including; the breakdown of a relationship, financial difficulties, having to leave their homes because of domestic violence or crime and disasters like fires and flooding’.
‘Having recently supported measures in the House of Commons to help tackle Homelessness, including the Homelessness Prevention Act, I was delighted to have the opportunity to open Ipswich House.
‘This new development demonstrates how, in seeking to address the problem of homelessness here in the West Midlands, the Government, together with the Combined Authority and Solihull Council are ensuring that we will be better prepared to deal with future cases of homelessness and I look forward to witnessing the positive impact this facility will have of people in our borough’.