James House accommodation for homeless opens its doors

Temporary homeless accommodation

​Families and couples experiencing homelessness are set to benefit from new apartments built by City of York Council.

An exciting new development of 57 apartments is now being furnished ready to give homeless households additional high quality accommodation and support to help them transition from becoming homeless to finding a new settled home.

Families and couples experiencing homelessness will benefit from the self-contained apartments together with its staff offices and flexible training spaces. All of the spacious apartments have separate bedrooms and living space, plus a shower room and generous stle can be safely and comfortably accommodated at this city-centre location which is owned and managed by City of York Council.

The apartments will be allocated to people who the council has been unable to prevent becoming homeless. They will then be found more settled accommodation, usually in social housing or suitable private rented accommodation. For the duration of the coronavirus emergency, existing temporary accommodation at Ordnance Lane, Crombie House and Howe Hill Hostel will also continue to be used to support homeless households.

The council is continuing to run services for people who are concerned about becoming homeless and need advice on their options. This is being done online or by telephone on 01904 554500.

Work to support our tenants also includes halting the first three months of this year’s annual housing rent increase. This is in addition to ongoing work to help people avoid homelessness through, for example, financial hardship, relationship breakdown or issues with private landlords. We’re also working with landlords across the city to support them and minimise evictions.

We’re prioritising our building services’ work to prepare empty council homes for re-letting and plan to continue working with hotels and bed and breakfasts for the duration of the lockdown to keep people safely accommodated until they are allocated more permanent housing.

Coronavirus York updates; 29th April 2020

Coronavirus cases in York

here are 258 known cases of coronavirus in York out of a local population of 209,893. That is a rate of 1229 cases per million – the 142nd highest rate in England.

Government loans for small businesses but York grants scheme flops

The new government “Bounce Back Loan” scheme will launch on 4 May 2020.

The scheme will help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. The government will guarantee 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months.

Loan terms will be up to 6 years. No repayments will be due during the first 12 months. The government will work with lenders to agree a low rate of interest for the remaining period of the loan. The scheme will be delivered through a network of accredited lenders.

Read more here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-coronavirus-bounce-back-loan

Meanwhile the York Council has still not provided an update on its grant scheme for “micro” businesses prompting concerns that the scheme was just a bit of “window dressing”. The scheme promised £1 million in funding.

Criticism of the Councils reaction to the health crisis is increasing in other areas. It appears that only a small proportion of the residents who volunteered to help have actually had their offers taken up while several businesses say they are continuing to deliver food in the City but were not included on the Councils recent advertising leaflet.

Good work by Highways England

Highways England removed the carcass of the dead badger from the A64 yesterday. The response was very swift.

The dead badger removed from the A64. There is a continuing debate about where responsibility rests for cleansing the cycle path along the A64 and on into York. Currently there is a lot detritus on it in places which restricts its width.
On Moor Lane in Dringhouses, the Council has removed the cats eyes from the highway prior to resurfacing on Sunday. The surface dressing process – which arrests wear on the road surface -, will involve one way working so some delays can be expected. Alternative routes are unlikely to be busy.
The Council have agreed to cut back the branches from the tree that is blocking the Thanet Road cycle path. They say they will do so when labour becomes available.
The York Council has promised to repair a section of carriageway on Bradley Lane near Rufforth