The “Odon” co-housing project is a first for Street Nurses. With this innovative solution we can, from the summer of 2023, offer homeless people new accommodation. Your help is essential because to make this possible we need to collect 40,000€.
Here are four good reasons to get you on board and help us making this dream come true.
1. You’ll help homeless people to re-integrate
To get homeless people off the street for good, we accommodate them in affordable and adapted homes. That’s where they can recover in their own rhythm, in a relaxed setting and within their available means.
“When de commune of Anderlecht offered us a house for a co-housing project, we didn’t hesitate for a moment! There was only one problem: the house is well situated and offers a lot of space, but it must be renovated before patients can move in. The cost of the necessary works is 40 000 € and we need help to raise that money”, says Bénédicte, who is responsible at Street Nurses for the department Creation and Capture of Housing.
2. You invest in one roof for several people
To end homelessness, we must be creative and leave the beaten track. With a co-housing project, we can accommodate several people at a lower cost.
Bénédicte: “Housing people separately usually costs a lot. With this project, 40,000€ will allow us to house 3 to 4 persons! The conclusion is obvious: this approach is very attractive for Street Nurses.”
“And that’s equally true for our patients! The cost (rent, charges…) are spread over the tenants, like in a classic co-housing project. That gives them an affordable home where they can recover in a relaxed setting”, adds Audrey, who is responsible at Street Nurses for the Housing department.
3. You co-finance a home that corresponds to the patients’ needs
This house offers space for 3 to 4 co-tenants and corresponds to the needs of some of our patients, i.e. the combination of safety and communal living.
The tenants can start a dynamic of mutual help to discuss everyday subjects, support each other in difficult moments and combat the feeling of solitude.
Which doesn’t alter the fact that “we’ll be always present to support them and ensure that their return to social life will be as smooth as possible. And should the experience be positive, other homeless people may also benefit from this form of housing!”, according to Audrey.
4. You support the renovation of an empty property
In 2020, more than 5,000 people in Brussels were homeless and badly housed. And it’s clear that the situation has not improved in the meantime. At the same time, 17,000 to 26,000 homes were considered vacant in Brussels.
Bénédicte: “If we can implement this project, we’ll have reduced the number of vacant homes by one and won 3 or 4 homes for re-integrating people living in very precarious circumstances… ”
That’s one step closer towards the end of homelessness.