Cornwall’s Housing Action Appeal to reduce homelessness

Housing in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is under significant and growing pressure. Thousands are unable to find stable or affordable homes. Cornwall’s housing crisis has led to widespread challenges like poor mental and physical health, loneliness and low educational outcomesMeasuring the results of the work your organisation is doing..

Cornwall Community Foundation’s (CCF) new Cornwall Housing Action Appeal is to raise more funding to tackle homelessness and housing shortages. It aims to empower frontline organisations and many emerging community-led housing projectsA piece of work that delivers an output. to create lasting change.

The CCF have been a key source of funding for community groups and charities across Cornwall for over 20 years. They give support based on local need, and have funded projects focusing on mental health, social isolationLoneliness, lack of access to human interactions. and, among other things, housing.

In 2022, Cornwall Council declared a county-wide housing crisis. Now there are 21,120 households on the Cornwall Homechoice social and affordable housing register. This has increased by 131% over the last 5 years. There are more than 900 Cornish households in temporary emergency accommodation. Our communities urgently need more help and funding to lift up and support those suffering in this crisis.

Communities are taking the issues of housing shortages into their own hands. These communities are creating their own affordable housing projects, either with new builds or the restoration of existing buildings. However, these projects are often held up at the very earliest stages. Though finance is available for the build or refurbishment costs, the initial feasibility studies are difficult to fundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions.. The CCF aims to offer core fundingThe running costs of your organisation. This is the money you need to make your work happen. These are also called overheads, running costs or operating costs. to these groups to get their plans off the drawing board.

Tamas Haydu, CEO of the CCF, said:

“Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are facing a housing crisis, and it affects our communities on so many levels. However, we believe that together, the people and groups in Cornwall working for our communities can develop more homes for local people. We are very grateful to The Duke of Cornwall’s Charitable Foundation for their generous contribution to this new appeal. We hope that many people will join our effort to raise more funds to eradicate homelessness and to support local community led housing developments.”

Harbour Housing is just one of the charities that CCF have supported. The charity is helping people who are either homeless or facing homelessness. People like Kev, who joined and then successfully moved on from their supported accommodation. When he was staying at Harbour Housing, he would often volunteer in the communal kitchen. As well as making meals for staff, residents and volunteers in the kitchen, he has helped them learn to cook. For Kev, this isn’t just about teaching a life skill. It’s a space to make people laugh, engage with them, and listen to anything they want to share.

Volunteering with Harbour Housing, and experiencing homelessness himself, Kev has is seeing first-hand the impact of Cornwall’s housing crisis. He is seeing people struggling on zero-hour contracts, people who have had a job one day and become homeless the next. Paraphrasing Harbour’s Operations Manager, Malcom, he said:

“Everyone deserves somewhere to sleep, a door to feel secure, and to live a life without prejudice.”

We want to support people like Kev, and organisations like Harbour Housing. Groups who are working with individuals, families, and communities who have been hit by the housing crisis. Find out more about Cornwall’s Housing Action Appeal today.