A completely derelict Victorian villa in Harehills has been turned into new homes for Leeds homeless, thanks to charity Latch (Leeds Action to Create Houses).
A £375,000 investment has seen the creation of four new, modern flats inside the sprawling, dilapidated house, now comprised of three one-beds and one two-bed flat.
These will now become homes for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents, who will be supported by the charity to turn their lives around as they take steps towards more independent living.
Made possible thanks to support from Leeds City Council, Power to Change, and the Clothworkers Foundation. the renovation took around a year to complete.
A complete wreck at the start of the project, the team had to completely remodel and transform the house.
There was no heating or hot water, the roof was leaking and the windows were broken – but it has now been rewired, re-painted, plastered, theremall insulated and sound proofed by the Latch team.
“All the windows and doors have been replaced and new kitchens and bathrooms have been installed,” explains James Hartley, CEO of Latch.
“The property has also been fully furnished to provide the new tenants with everything they need to make a fresh new start.”
The charity is now busy assessing applications for the new homes.
There is an enormous demand for properties in Leeds from those who are homeless or in urgent housing need, with over 5,500 people currently homeless or living in poor quality housing.
It is estimated that there is a further 3,500 derelict, privately-owned and empty properties in the city ripe for projects like this.
Projects such as this play a vital role in tackling growing homelessness in the city.
Latch hopes to raise a further £350,000 this summer towards the costs of purchasing another six properties over the coming months and years, with funding also being sought from other grants and businesses.
