Shelter warns homelessness will worsen as project closes

Published on Tuesday 3 March 2009 09:06

HOUSING charity Shelter has warned that the closure of one of its most successful projects due to funding cuts will lead to more people being made repeatedly homeless.

The Shelter Families Project, which has helped 415 families deal with homelessness during ten years in Edinburgh, is closing its Newhaven Road facility after failing to secure council funding.

Its services will now be provided by the other successful bidders for the council's nine homelessness contracts.

Alison Watson, head of services at Shelter Scotland, said: "We've been desperately trying to find a lifeline to continue it. But this has proven impossible and this project, which was ironically started with the support of Edinburgh Council, will now have to close.

"Our worry is that the repeat homelessness this project is so successful at breaking, will start to emerge again in the future."

In January the council put contracts worth 14 million out to tender, dividing the money into five lots.

Councillor Paul Edie, housing leader said: "Homelessness services have been commissioned following a robust tendering process. which was based on finding the best quality providers. We are working with Shelter to make sure all service users transfer to a new provider."