Fifteen homeless people in Truro will have a roof over their heads this winter after the keys to new modular homes were handed over to Cornwall Council.
The Solohaus units have been installed at Old County Hall in Station Road and residents are due to be moving in by Christmas.
The self-contained one-bedroom homes are the first batch of a total of 79, bought from the South West-based Hill Group, and made specifically for people in urgent housing need.
Designed with the help of homelessness charities, the single-storey modular homes have a kitchen, living and dining area, bedroom and bathroom and have been installed fully furnished – even including knives, forks and bedlinen.
The council said the scheme – the first of its kind in the South West – will build on the success of its Bunkabin sites and other temporary housing projects by providing homes for local people who are ready to move on from emergency accommodation to the next stage of their journey out of homelessness and rough sleeping.
Council officials said the impact of the pandemic, the reduction in the number of privately rented homes (due in part to increased demand for holiday accommodation), rising rental costs and the recent general property boom have created a ‘perfect storm’ in the local housing market.
People can find themselves homeless for many reasons, including family or relationship breakdown, people fleeing domestic violence, eviction from a privately rented home (including ‘no fault’ evictions), loss of income/employment, bereavement, significant changes to mental or physical health, or struggling to cope with life outside the armed forces.
The site will be managed by Cornwall Housing, with each tenant receiving additional support as required to help them to find a regular source of income and a more permanent home. The council will also be providing a management and support space in a former council office building on the site as well as round-the-clock security for at least the first 12 months.
Olly Monk, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for housing and planning, said: “We are facing a serious and escalating housing crisis in Cornwall and are taking direct action to provide homes for people who need our help.
“The Old County Hall site will provide excellent quality ‘move on’ housing for single people currently in temporary or emergency accommodation who would otherwise be homeless - helping these residents to stay in Cornwall and with the security of knowing the home is theirs until they find a permanent one.”
The 15 homes in Truro are expected to remain in place for around three years, after which the site is due for regeneration. The units will then be moved to a new location.