In the South West of England, Resonance’s National Homelessness Property funds 1 and 2 have partnered with Developing Health & Independence (DHI), a Bath-based homelessness charity. DHI provides person-focused, wraparound support to people experiencing housing crisis and other issues, such as addiction, trauma and mental health issues. So far, 136 properties have been purchased in Bristol by the funds and that DHI manages and supports tenants living in them.

We recently caught up with DHI’s Chief Executive, Rosie Phillips, to chat about her own journey into the homelessness sector, about DHI – what it does and the people it supports - why it partnered with Resonance and the impact decent and affordable housing has on the lives of people who had been experiencing homelessness.

Rosie, can you tell us a little about DHI?

DHI is founded on the belief that everyone has the potential to make a valuable contribution to society. Our core purpose is to work with those most excluded - be that as a result of poverty, deprivation, abuse or neglect.

By working with the person, not the label, and by respecting a person’s preferences, we can find the most effective ways to support someone.  However, if someone doesn’t have their basic needs met, like the need for housing or safety, they will struggle to make effective change in other areas of life that might be holding them back, like substance misuse or getting a job.  One person’s journey may be very different from another’s, so we always work in a very person-centred way, but ensuring foundation needs are addressed is always a must.  This is Maslow! 

And can you tell us a little about your background and journey in the homelessness sector?

In 1990, following a building boom and bust in London, my daily walk to my job at a PR consultancy took me down Cricklewood Broadway.  I walked past many disadvantaged Irish men whose lives had unravelled after losing jobs in the building industry.  Homelessness and alcoholism spread rapidly as these, mostly single men, became entrenched in a life on the streets, often eventually drinking themselves to death. I began volunteering at weekends at Cricklewood Homeless Concern, a soup kitchen and day centre, before gaining employment there.

Seven years later I had the opportunity to set up a dry house with a housing association in Bath.  It was a project called the Drugs and Homeless Initiative, which I felt offered the opportunity to address the linked problems of homelessness and substance misuse rather than just putting a sticking plaster over a single issue. The need to tackle complex, often connected issues, led me to establish DHI as a social exclusion charity in 1999.  Twenty-five years later, homelessness continues to present a barrier to people leading fulfilling lives, and the housing crisis has not abated.

Can you explain why DHI partnered with Resonance, via two of its funds?

At DHI we believe that everyone needs a safe place to live if other issues are to be effectively addressed.  Our approach of supporting people’s quality of life from the foundations up aligns with Resonance’s goals to fight poverty and disadvantage, improve health and wellbeing, reduce inequalities and support communities.

We were aware and interested in Resonance’s approach for a while, then in 2020 the opportunity arose to take on the management of Resonance’s Bristol portfolio.  This allowed Home Turf Lettings, DHI’s social lettings agency, to expand in meeting its objective of providing accommodation to tenants on low incomes and in housing need. We are now managing a portfolio of 136 properties with Resonance, including a project to accommodate former rough sleepers in Bristol.

What issues and challenges might some of your tenants have experienced?

Many of our tenants have experienced multiple disadvantages including poverty, relationship breakdown, unemployment, discrimination, poor health or problematic substance use. These issues both contribute to and are exacerbated by barriers to maintaining safe, secure accommodation. This is why it is so very important that we offer tenants person-centred, holistic support to overcome their problems and achieve their goals.

And what is the homelessness/housing situation in the south west, right now?

Nearly 10,500 people were recorded as homeless in the South West at the end of last year, including 4,350 children. According to the figures, Bristol has the highest rate of homelessness in the region, with 2,967 people living in a hostel, temporary accommodation, or on the streets. 291 households in Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire are currently homeless with another 373 at risk.

Private rents in Bath and Bristol are nearly £1,000 for a one-bedroom tenancy and rising year-on-year. Rents rose by 8.4% between 2023 and 2024, and 14% the year before. The market is highly competitive with demand is severely outweighing supply, meaning that properties are being snapped up within days of being advertised as ‘to let’.

What difference does having a decent home mean to someone who had been facing and experiencing housing crisis?

It offers stability, safety and security.  Having a place to call home, provides a person with opportunities to access all sorts of things that most of us take for granted.

A home allows people to put down roots, develop relationships and begin to establish connections within their communities.  People are less exposed to health risks and are better able to manage or recover from a health condition. A home provides a sanctuary from the pressures of the outside world.  It gives people the head space to develop their sense of self and wellbeing, and to start to address other challenges they may be facing. It is the first, essential step on a person’s journey to achieving their personal and professional aspirations and thriving in society.

Once you house somebody, you can typically expect to see a range of secondary benefits such as reductions in substance use and offending, improvements in health and wellbeing, and greater engagement in education, training and employment.

And what are you looking for in the properties and locations within which the fund is purchasing?

We are looking to provide affordable, self-contained housing to give people who have been homeless the chance to regain their independence.  Housing needs to meet good accommodation standards and be in areas that are accessible to community amenities and infrastructure that matters to people, with good access to resources including transport, health services and work opportunities.

How do you determine a tenants’ needs and what support services does DHI provide tenants with?

Initially tenants’ needs are identified by partner organisations who complete a needs assessments based on the eligibility criteria.  This includes local councils, who have identified a person or family with a housing and/or support need. Home Turf Lettings screens these nominations and identifies appropriate housing and support through weekly referral meetings where we look to match tenants and their needs to properties available.

Staff contact the family or individual referred to explain the sign-up process, arrange property visits and formalise arrangements for move-in through a written agreement.  This includes making clear staff and tenant responsibilities, including payment schedules and any support needs. This is important, as many of the people we support have historically had poor experiences of managing a tenancy.

Staff also support tenants in budget management and the upkeep of the property. Regular contact between Home Turf Lettings staff and tenants facilitates positive relationships and creates opportunities for property inspections to take place.

Projects such as the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme mean that tenants with higher support needs are supported by staff with any health or wellbeing needs. We help individuals to re-integrate back into their communities and develop the skills and resilience to stand on their own two feet.

How are tenants supported to become more independent?

We offer a very person-centred approach, so as well as supporting people to take responsibility for managing their rent and property, we may help them in many different ways depending on what is holding them back from achieving their potential.   

Our relationships with agencies and organisations providing external support in all areas we operate is important in enabling us to identify and refer clients to other relevant services such as health and social care, mental health, domestic violence support, or education, training and career opportunities.  Sometimes we refer to another DHI service such as drug and alcohol treatment.

What has been your experience of working with Resonance?

It has been refreshing working with a social investment organisation like Resonance, as it provides life-changing opportunities for people and communities facing housing crisis. Resonance has a solution-focused approach to project management which has afforded DHI a positive experience of collaboration, and enhanced the scale and impact of what can be delivered. Excellent governance and regular opportunities to share updates and manage any risks has been particularly helpful in keeping projects on track and advancing DHI’s ambition to tackle housing inequalities.

What are your hopes for the future regarding the housing crisis? What solutions might there be?

Our vision is for an end to housing injustice.  We want people to be able to access good quality, affordable rented housing, which meets their needs and gives them the foundations they need in order to thrive.  All tenants should be housed in properties which meet legal standards for renting, with repairs undertaken swiftly and thoroughly.

There needs to be more social housing, and for people’s needs to be prioritised over profits. Local housing allowance rates needs to keep a pace with inflation.  Planning reforms are needed to ensure land banking ends and legislation put in place to ensure developers really take on board their duties to have some provision for those on no and low incomes.  We also need a new definition of affordable accommodation.

The solution is complex and requires political leaders, decision-makers and people of influence to come together to ensure an adequate supply of accommodation to meet the needs of all people.

What would be your biggest ask of the new Government?

We ask the government to make a commitment to end homelessness, be brave and think long term, investing in housing solutions that enable people to build a sustainable future.

And finally, what do you find most rewarding about your job?

I love the challenge, the diversity and the people we work with at DHI. Everyone can struggle and feel excluded at some point in their lives, and I love seeing people gain their sense of place in the world, their self-esteem. 

National Homelessness Property Fund 2

National Homelessness Property Fund 2 was created in response to the growing need for affordable housing, providing safe and decent homes for people in housing crisis, and launched in December 2020. Initially, the fund’s focus was on providing homes in the Greater Manchester region, but has expanded into other regions across the UK including Bristol, Oxford and Merseyside. 

As of June 2024, the fund has a total of 346 properties in its portfolio of which 291 are now tenanted. An additional 55 are currently in refurb and another 42 in conveyancing. 

The fund is aiming to purchase 1,500 family and one-bedroom homes - including from portfolio purchases - across the UK, to house more than 16,000 people over its lifetime.