SCS Homes in Edinburgh
SCS Homes in Edinburgh
Simon Community is providing safe places to live for the people we support
We can give people a home
Our SCS Homes project represents a milestone for Simon Community Scotland.
SCS Homes are for people we’ve been supporting through other services, people who are ready to live independently. But they can call on our support when they need it.
One of the first people to move into one of our SCS Homes is someone we initially started supporting on the streets of Edinburgh. Two years later, we were able to provide a home.
In recognition of the challenges in accessing affordable housing in Edinburgh, we secured investment of £5m from Social and Sustainable Funding, including £1m from the University of Edinburgh, to purchase 30 homes for people with a history of homelessness to provide them with secure tenancies to help them move forward in lives from a place of safety and stability.
People need a pathway, people need choices, people need a home.
“We know that for people without a home in our society, specific service needs are not being met and there is a serious short-fall of available housing.”
Lesley McAra, Assistant Principal: Community Relations at University of Edinburgh
A housing emergency is a PEOPLE emergeny
Edinburgh has a major housing shortage, with a lack of affordable accommodation and social housing options. Around 500 people are currently living in temporary accommodation and each year demand for homes exceeds the available properties.
Providing 'affordable tenancies, with access to the support they need'.
“Our mission is to end rough sleeping and provide solutions for the many who are currently spending too long in temporary accommodation. The loan from SASC will be transformative for them. Over the next 18 months, we will purchase properties that will help people build new lives in high-quality, affordable tenancies, with access to the support they need.”
Lorraine McGrath, CEO, Simon Community Scotland
Thanks to support from the Social & Sustainable Capital (SASC) and Edinburgh University, we’re delighted to be halfway towards our target of 30 SCS homes. Each one is supported by our Outreach Team.
We would dearly like to replicate this elsewhere in Scotland. Watch this space!
