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Original poster

Your honest experiences on living close to homeless shelters please?

59 replies

Summergarden · 28/12/2018 23:03

Work has started on building a large temporary housing unit in close proximity to our home (half a mile away). There will be approx 40 rooms for families and 10 extra for single persons.

I’ve tried to remain open minded about it and know that this type of temporary housing is very much needed but local friends have worried me a bit by voicing concerns regarding likely increases in the crime rate, especially drug dealers loitering around the unit. It is only a few hundred metres from a large secondary school and close to two large primary schools.

If you have personal experience of living close to a similar housing unit and can share your experience of how you have found it, whether you suffered resulting problems (or hopefully didn’t! 😊) etc I would be grateful thanks.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 28/12/2018 23:08

Not everyone homeless is into drugs and breaking the law.

There was the same nimby carry on close to me for a similar thing but more of a rehabilitate past drug users/homeless into society. It's been fine in reality.

PerverseConverse · 28/12/2018 23:09

There was similar pearl clutching and worries over a children's home being opened at the rear of our street. Drug dealers, crime, problem teenagers etc. We never experienced any problems of the sort.
I know a children's home is different but the worries people had were the same. I was of an "if any problems occur we'll deal with them then but until that point live and let live. The residents will be disadvantaged and have experienced enough prejudice without us contributing to that before we've even clapped eyes on them." Other neighbours had the same opinion as me.
Worries are understandable but hopefully unfounded as in our case.

flossietoot · 28/12/2018 23:12

Not lived beside one, but worked in one. From what you are describing- this isn’t a night shelter. Due to the fact people can be placed there for months, the dynamics change and it may well be relatively settled. I wouldn’t say crime will go up or drug dealing- hostels will evict if people are taking drugs in them, especially in a family hostel.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Benefits General education
Florries · 28/12/2018 23:13

This happened to my mum. Her house value decreased but apart from that you wouldn't have known there was a shelter down the road.

Kummerspeck · 28/12/2018 23:14

It varies according to how well run a place is. We live down the street from a drug and alcohol rehab centre and have never had a single problem but friends of ours had lots of issues with a children's' unit near them until it was closed down

flossietoot · 28/12/2018 23:14

Sorry- just read it is half a mile away!! I thought it was directly beside you. There probably already is temporary housing close by and you just haven’t realised as not a big unit.

JillScarlet · 28/12/2018 23:17

HALF A MILE AWAY?

Ffs, get a grip.

JillScarlet · 28/12/2018 23:21

You have read, have you, tne countless threads on MN by perfectly innocent women fleeing abusuve men and needing temporary accommodation?

Go on those threads and say you are ‘trying to remain open mlndec’ about such accommodation being built!

looktothewesternsky · 28/12/2018 23:21

Half a mile?? Honest opinion is you're a bit silly, OP.

LovesLaboursLost · 28/12/2018 23:22

Half a mile away?! I was going to reply that we lived near one and had no problems, but it was a couple of streets away so it wasn’t that close. Half a mile is ridiculous. It would have no impact on you whatsoever. And it’s mostly for families as well? Why on earth would you be concerned about this?!

Longdistance · 28/12/2018 23:26

Half a Mike away (800m) is far.

I live in an area where we have several large houses used for rehabilitation for alcoholics, drug addicts, the homeless, women’s aid and those with eating disorders. No problems in the area.
I really don’t know what you’re worried about?

LilQueenie · 28/12/2018 23:30

Try living across from one. Pretty quiet apart from one incident when someone tried to jump off the roof.

Zwischenwasser · 28/12/2018 23:30

Can’t see it being an issue if it’s half a mile away.

Id be more wary if you were next door, as it really depends on the management. I lived next to a badly run children’s/ teen hostel. It was ermmm.....interesting to say the least. Not helped by the areshole local press scaremongering about it. Twats.

Bottomplasters · 28/12/2018 23:36

It honestly wasn’t that bad OP. Family’s fleeing dv. I thought there would be much more issues and incidents. No drug using that I seen.

People desperate for any housing.

I got into debt to rent privately as it was too uncertain for me but not the worst experience of my life (living the life where I needed to flee much harder)

XOhTriangleSquare · 28/12/2018 23:40

I used to live near one. You would never have known.

anitagreen · 28/12/2018 23:44

I lived in a homeless hostel 3 years ago and yes there was a few troublemakers but the one you've described as having family rooms shouldn't be an issue, it's mainly ones for drying out or ex cons hostels that do seem to have a bit of trouble around them. I wouldn't worry at all.

Joinourclub · 28/12/2018 23:45

It’s temporary housing, not a hostel for street homeless, so you probably won’t even notice it’s there.

Original poster
Summergarden · 28/12/2018 23:45

Thanks for those who have given polite and helpful answers.

It’s a shame that some resorted to “FFS” type comments. Just to make clear, I refused to sign the protest about it during the planning stages because I fully recognise that temporary housing is needed in this town (as I imagine in most places). I’ve just checked on the map and it’s 0.4 miles away so not exactly next door but only a couple of streets away and very close to one of the DCs schools.

It is not a women’s refuge, my understanding that it could house any type of family in need, including intentionally homeless families. Plus the 10 single person units make it a very large site (a former elderly residential home).

One of my neighbours expressed concern that drug dealers may be attracted to the area and loiter around it once the unit opens and could be a risk to older children walking home from the closest school to it.

OP posts:
anitagreen · 28/12/2018 23:48

Lol people don't just think oh I'll sell some crack here to these vulnerable people Shock they are homeless families

flossietoot · 29/12/2018 00:03

Trust me- the people in it who use drugs will have their own supplier long before they move in. Dealers will also likely be well known to the staff and not allowed in- you have a list of banned visitors.

flossietoot · 29/12/2018 00:04

The police will also likely be knocking about a lot so dealers will stay away.

RCohle · 29/12/2018 00:23

Why would drug dealers be a particular risk to children walking home from school?

0.4miles isn't particularly close to your house. You've said you don't want "FFS" responses but this does strike me as pearl clutching.

Onandonandons · 29/12/2018 00:31

I lived on the same street as a homeless unit. It was for people who had become homeless and were living there temporarily. It was big, I'm guessing more than 50 peoole. I can honestly say it had zero impact on my life. It was in a busy areas with lots of blocks of flats, and it seemed no different to any other large building.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 29/12/2018 00:42

I lived next door to a hostel for six years. It’s not something I’d want to do again, but that’s mainly because it was for 16-18 year olds and they were mostly loud buggers. I was on first name terms with the security blokes by the end of the six years.

flossietoot · 29/12/2018 00:43

Incy- sounds like the hostel I worked in. Lots of low level anti social teenage antics as opposed to high level crime!