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Charity evicted by housing association allowed to stay until it finds new home
A Northampton homelessness charity evicted by a housing association will be allowed to keep using the landlord’s building until it finds a suitable new home.
Midland Heart, which owns around 32,500 homes, handed the Hope Centre an eviction notice in October – giving it 12 months to vacate the Oasis House homelessness centre.
The association said the move would help it to deliver a wider range of services at Oasis House.
At the time, the Hope Centre said it was “appalled and saddened” by the decision and called for the eviction notice to be revoked – while Midland Heart hit back by saying the move would not cause “significant financial loss” to the charity.
A petition calling on Midland Heart to withdraw the eviction notice gathered more than 10,000 signatures, while Jeremy Corbyn, who previously visited Oasis House, also waded into the debate, calling the decision “appalling and senseless”.
But following discussions between the two parties and Northampton Council, Midland Heart has agreed to let the Hope Centre stay at Oasis House until a suitable new base for its services is found, meaning the charity will be allowed to continue operating from the building beyond October.
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Glenn Harris, chief executive of Midland Heart, said: “We are pleased that all parties are working to a solution that will enable Hope Centre to continue its much-valued services from a suitable location, which will allow for Midland Heart to increase the number of homeless accommodation at Oasis House by 11 flats.
“No specific time limit has been set, and all parties have agreed to work in good faith together to bring this about.
“We would like to thank Northampton Borough Council for their efforts to facilitate this outcome.”
Ben Leadsom, chair of the Hope Centre, said: “I am pleased everyone accepts the Hope Centre will be kept open at Oasis House to continue its vital work while new premises and resources are found to move it to a suitable nearby location when one becomes available.”
Jonathan Nunn, leader of Northampton Council, said: “We are committed to working with our partners in the town, particularly when it can benefit the most vulnerable in our communities.
“We were therefore pleased last year to have been able to broker a meeting with Hope and Midland Heart to consider the current situation and opportunities for the future.
“Those discussions have continued and we are now able to announce that our three organisations are committed to working together to find the Hope Centre a new home.”
