Extern Homes

Social Problem

As with most areas of the UK, the cost-of-living crisis combined with a severe lack of affordable homes is causing significant problems across Northern Ireland. The number of homeless households has more than doubled since 2013.1

Organisation

Extern supports people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, along with those who face barriers to housing, such as refugees and ex-offenders.

Loan

Extern Homes offers temporary accommodation but also wanted to provide longer-term affordable homes. Declan Morris, Project Manager at Extern Homes, shares, “The system was walking away from people. Houses weren’t available, or if they were available, they weren’t affordable. That’s not good enough. We wanted to do more; we needed to do more. Rather than wait for those houses to be delivered, we took a leap of faith.”

Extern had limited reserves so borrowed £358,000 from Charity Bank. Declan shares, “To get to where we are today, with 10 properties, was only achievable with the loan arrangement with Charity Bank.”

Impact

Extern Homes is now able to offer two-year tenancies so that people can move on from hostels and other temporary accommodation. It supports a wide range of tenants, from individuals to couples, single parents and families.

Sheila Irwin became homeless after moving out of a shared property and is now an Extern Homes tenant. She says, “[Before I came here] I was a bit of a wreck. I didn’t know what to do or where to go. This house is fantastic. When you have a normal house to live in, everything else around you normalises. You feel human again.”

Crucially, the homes are semi-furnished, and Extern supports people throughout their tenancy and beyond, for example with training and employment opportunities. People are able to build a positive tenancy history and save for a deposit, so that when the time comes to move on, they can do so with confidence.