By working to create more direct pathways into the local housing market across Belfast, this phased project will also attempt to negotiate the challenges experienced by existing hostel tenants, specifically in terms of landlord prejudices, a lack of supply, inflated private rental costs and inability to secure eligibility for a social housing unit.

QCAP has completed a social impact analysis that has forecasted the level of social return created by investing in EBM’s Hosford Homeless Housing model over a 25-year period. It has also worked with EBM and its economic consultant to better understand the local need and demand across the homeless sector in Belfast for a transitional accommodation model with floating support.

Representatives from EBM drew on the QCAP research as part of their pitch to a London-based social investor. Subsequently, they offered EBM a £500,000 investment (plus technical assistance support) to fund the initial development of their model which consisted of acquiring and renovating 5 domestic dwellings across East Belfast. In Autumn 2023 the units were successfully purchased, and the first round of tenants have been successfully transitioned and settled.