The presentation to the commitee was followed by a celebration event where East Belfast Mission brought together EBM and Hosford Community Homes staff alongside Commonweal Housing, whose attendance underscored their commitment to accelerating impact through evidence-informed policy development, measurable social impact, and strategic financial leverage. The partnership between QCAP, led by Dr Andrew Grounds, Deputy Director of Queen's Communities and Place, and Prof. Brendan Murtagh from the School of Natural and Built Environment, established in 2022, has helped to better understand model's potential and impact.

Key Outcomes of the You’re Home Model

Seven households were supported across five purchased residential units, with two successfully transitioning to independent accommodation. Individual outcomes included employment advancement, stable environments for family life, and family reconnections. The total investment delivered a cost-benefit ratio of £2.39:£1 based on proxies from HACT and Measure Up databases. Properties acquired by the project in mixed, transitional neighbourhoods supported community integration and health improvements through access to natural assets, including Orangefield and Victoria Park. Time-unlimited tenancies also enabled genuine stability and unforced transitions, challenging dependency assumptions prevalent in traditional transitional housing support models.

Operational Learning for East Belfast Mission

Five properties were spot-purchased from 23 assessed options, developing significant organisational capacity in property acquisition and housing management across East Belfast Mission at board and operational levels. This process generated crucial housing market intelligence supporting current tenants while identifying viable community-led housing pathways that can be scaled and sustained moving forward. The voluntary, flexible support model maintained tenant autonomy while delivering essential services, particularly in mental health, with proximity to Skainos Centre proving crucial for wraparound support. Additional funding totalling £553,800 was leveraged through strategic partnerships with funders, philanthropists and local donors, maximising Commonweal's investment.

Moving forward

The You're Home model demonstrates the viability of flexible, time-unlimited housing support that respects tenant autonomy while delivering measurable social value. The £2.39:£1 return on investment, successful transitions to independent living, and significant additional funding leveraged (£553,800) provide compelling evidence for this approach. The partnership with QCAP has provided academic support and evidence generation necessary to understand the types of value generated by a model such as ‘You’re Home’ and also community-led housing models in general. This academic input has been valuable in translating practice into measurable impact, supporting East Belfast Mission's engagement with funders or social investors like Commonweal and policymakers working to advance alternative approaches to tackling homelessness. As the model continues to develop, the evidence base established through this collaboration will support scaling efforts and contribute to broader conversations about alternative homeless housing pathways that prioritise stability, dignity, and genuine community integration.