Words by Smiley Team
Helping homeless people get back on track, three organisations have joined forces to construct modular homes in London. The award-winning developer Hill Group, The Salvation Army and Citizens UK have united, after the developer pledged to donate 200 pods, worth £12 million, over the next five years, at least half of which will be delivered through the partnership.
One of the initiative’s first successes is Malachi Place, a modular village built in March 2020 for single people experiencing homelessness in Ilford, East London. It houses more than 56 people and is named after ten-year-old Malachi Justin, who donated his tooth fairy money to the Salvation Army.
Lieutenant Colonel Drew McCombe, of The Salvation Army, explained: “Modular housing like Malachi Place is a more cost-effective, and better quality alternative to temporary accommodation. We need the Government and local authorities to give planning permission for modular housing, especially as ministers have missed their target for providing homes for people who experienced rough sleeping in March 2020.”
By partnering with the two non-profits, the developers have ensured their project is based on people’s real experiences of homelessness. This means that the homes are carefully designed and fully equipped to support people sleeping rough, with running costs of just £5 a week. They have a lifespan of 60 years and meet Future Homes Standards, exceeding building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation.
In addition to Malachi Place, the partners yesterday unveiled SoloHaus, a pod home designed by Hill. Furnished and ready for its first occupant, the construction is another step forward in the campaign to tackling homelessness in the capital.
After the initial stages, the three organisations are calling on the Government, local authorities, and landowners to help drive the programme forward with funding and additional sites to build on.
“We hope to build strong support within the Ministry of Housing to ensure that new funding streams will enable local authorities to apply for capital and revenue funding to support our programme and help people rebuild their lives, be valued members of their communities, gain the confidence to find work, and find more permanent accommodation,” said executive director of Citizens UK Matthew Bolton.
National membership organisation Citizens UK unites people across different faiths, educational backgrounds, and ethnic and third sector groups. They empower community members to become grassroots leaders and drive positive change around the issues that they care about most. Find out about their campaign to tackle homelessness here.
Their partner in this endeavour, The Salvation Army is a 150-year-old Christian charity that operates in 132 countries to offer support to disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Support their work here.
