AIBU to not want to have homeless people with complex needs placed in the house next door to me?

[StressedandNameChanged]

I live in a 2 storey terraced house in a small residential street in an area with lots of rows of similar small terraced houses. It’s not the smartest area of town and hasn’t had the best reputation, but it was affordable when we moved here over 15 years ago, and we have been happy here. I live with my dh, and my youngest ds 12.

The end terrace house next door to me was bought by a private investment company earlier this year, and I recently found out that this was part of an organisation which combines property investment with supported housing. Following a lot of enquiries on my part, I found out that they planned to use the house as a house share for 5 vulnerable adults with complex needs and a history of homelessness. Complex needs means at least 2 of the following issues: substance misuse; history of offending; history of anti-social behaviour; mental health problems.

Communications with the organisations who will be managing the property have been problematic. They were initially very evasive, but once I had more info, the housing manager agreed to come to a residents’ association meeting to discuss the plans for the property. It didn’t go very well. On the agenda at the same meeting were problems with an existing supported housing project in the neighbourhood, where due to staffing issues and some challenging clients, the police are being called out every night.

The housing manager later offered to come and speak with dh and myself but as we were away at the time, we said we would arrange a date when we got back. Unfortunately, while we were away a neighbour put up some very offensive signs around the property, including some in my garden and went to the local paper. (This may be the same neighbour who has also been cutting cctv cables at the property). Since we got back we have tried to get in touch but no response. There is a meeting set up with the neighbourhood policing team and others, but the housing managers are not available to attend that either.

Meanwhile I have heard from elsewhere that at least one tenant would be moving into the property in 2 weeks’ time. I think the company running the property are trying to get it as a done deal with people living there before talking to anyone.

I know people can change and this is hopefully a good opportunity for the people who will be placed next door, but I also know there is no magic wand for people who have struggled with multiple serious issues for several years, and there will be relapses. I am worried about the location and the suitability of the property for this use. Most people who have suffered high levels of trauma and are trying to move away from a chaotic lifestyle want their own place where they can control their surroundings, not a shared house. I am worried about 5 vulnerable adults being housed together in a small Victorian terraced house with poor sound proofing. Many houses around here are used for student housing and they live 5 to a house, but they are groups of friends who choose to live together, and they can usually escape to their parents’ homes for a break. I know from experience the level of disruption just one tenant in a shared house can cause if they kick off, mainly to the other tenants but also to the neighbours. I am worried about some of the visitors they will attract. I am worried about the possible high turnover of tenants. I am worried about the potential disturbance for ourselves and other neighbours. I know what the streets around other hostels are like, and I will not feel safe if my street becomes like that. I am worried about the failure of the people managing the property to communicate, which doesn’t bode well if problems do occur. I am stressed out and losing sleep worrying about it.

Yes, I know I am being the very definition of a NIMBY, but I am amazed that this sort of facility can be placed in a residential street without any consultation with neighbours, the local authorities, the police or any existing services in the area.

I am NOT an expert in this area and may have got it wrong. but I have recently been dealing with a coordinating a response to a local planning application and become a frantic googler of planning law.

Use categories apply to property types. Sounds like this is a change of use to C3B. I would have expected permission to be required.

You could try calling planning at your local council.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/commonprojects/9/changeeofuse

There is quite a bit on google.

YANBU at all. I've worked with adults with those needs in different capacities over the years and wouldn't want to live next door either, especially with children.

I'd probably look at moving.

Am I right in thinking that after 1st October 2018 all HMO's with more than 5 tenants will need to be licensed and it won't be restricted to 3 storey properties? So it might be worth checking up on this as it would apply to the property adjoining OP's. You can see if a licence has been applied for

OP sounds very reasonable but I agree with tootstastic's post. Many of us would be apprehensive under the circumstances.

It would reassure OP a bit if the company took the time to explain their policy and support structure and what house rules are in place to prevent anti social behaviour.

There is a lot of intellectual dishonesty from the people on this thread who are conflating this with the entirely different topic of supported housing for peope with disabilities despite the fact that the op clearly stated that in this case complex needs means at least 2 of the following issues: substance misuse; history of offending; history of anti-social behaviour; mental health problems.

In other terms jail birds and drug addicts, precisely the type of people you'd want housed as far away from vulnerable or disabled people as possible.

I wonder if there was a planning policy that stated that this kind of housing coult only be put in places where the majority of homes where council tax band D or higher how many of the champagne socialists on here would suddenly discover their inner nimby?

Telling that a number of HC professional have all said they wouldn't want to live next door to their patients.

Mental health problems are classed as disabilities. Not unusual for offending and autism or mild learning disabilities to go together. Have also come across people going to the papers & arranging petitions against a young child with learning disabilities - so not sure everyone can tell the difference. Also know of neighbours complaining about people with severe learning disabilities.

In any case it’s the same reality. Until they move in the OP isn’t going to know whether there is going to be any issues.

It’s really dull going on & in about how this is only found in poor areas. It’s not true. As I have said at least twice already on this thread we have a bail hostel opposite us - in one of the more expensive postcodes in this city. I didn’t even know it was there for the first ten years we were here.

@Devilishpyjamas - so you're one of those champagne socialists who like to tell the less well off what they should have to put up with?

Devilish it's very odd you have lived somewhere for ten years and don't know who your neighbours are - that's very unusual.

@Neshoma - She's talking bubble to push her agenda. If you have a premises like that near you you bloody well know about it!

Campage socialist me? Er no

I live near the centre of a city - not at all unusual to not know everyone. I found out it was a bail hostel when the house next door (complete with tower and pool) was up for sale and I was discussing with another neighbour.

Someone I had spoken to quite lot lived there (she always stopped to make a fuss of my dog). I had no idea it was a bail hostel (none of my business).

If you mean the ones who were complaining and taking out
Petitions about the boy with learning disabilities (& his family) potentially moving in - they weren’t poor, they were elderly owner occupiers. An elderly friend told them they should all be ashamed of themselves - there was quite the battle going on (it was near my mum’s house). The child didn’t move in. (He’s an adult now, he was about 9 at the time).

@Devilishpyjamas - And now you're being intellectually dishonest by deliberately conflating two different issues.

Which two different issues? I was accused of telling poor people who should live bear them & wasn’t sure whether that was referring to the one who took the petition out.

In my posh area riddled with champagne socialists I have never heard anyone complain about the bail hostel (which is presumably why it took so long to find out about it).

I think there are more Tories than champagne socialists on my street. Even they haven’t complained.

@Devilishpyjamas You know full well that this is about accommodation for clients who have drug and alcohol problems or criminal records being foisted on an area which is already deprived. Rather than engage with that you talk about a disgusting campaign against a young man with disabilities as if the two things are the same, which they aren't, they're poles apart.

OP YANBU to be concerned, I think that anyone in your situation would feel the same. However you may find the reality is different to what you are fearing.

I too live in a dodgy inner city area and have a building used for housing those with complex needs at the corner. The residents have a history of addiction, offending, MH difficulties and there is no residential support. But there is little trouble, the residents are doing their best and the agency that runs it is very good at dealing quickly with those who are unable to live within the rules. I expect that this is more to do with a duty of care to their other residents rather than the community in general and the fact that such places are in high demand, so no room is empty for long.

Like others on this thread I have experienced more antisocial behaviour from outside the pubs around here and from "regular" neighbours who are not subject to the strict contracts that are enforced in Supported Living Accommodation.

Do whatever you think is necessary, complain to the relevant authorities if you want, but be aware that the reality will probably not be as bad as you imagine.

LakieLady

we no people don’t and as a fellow support worker you will know often people who get housedwho are not stutible for the service and I think it’s a bit neive to think their will be no issues when I worked at a hostel many moons ago the drug dealers used to wait across the road and their would be on occasion be a person shooting up at the bus stop

So why didn't you call the police if drug dealing was going on opposite the premises Metoo? What action did you and your colleagues take?

We did then they started taking pictures of staff number plates and staff

Hence why I left very dangerous

Yes you are being unreasonable. And selfish.
Everyone deserves a home.
You have one. Why shouldn't they?
You have no right to decide who moves into your street. You seem to have put a hell of a lot of effort into this. Maybe calm down a bit?

Like I said I am a support worker and my clients are awsome

But I wouldn’t want to live next door theycan be disruptive
Rudge
Aggressive
And unhygienic
And inappropriate we have one lady who whips out her boobs very often

But they can also be warm loving fun and full of life

But we have had complaints and those who do often feel like twants for saying anything but it can makes their lives a misery

Stirner - they’re really not poles apart. I also work in the field (in fact looking at moving people back into the community) and my remit (which is autism and learning disabilities) ranges from those who are very severely disabled to those who have been through the criminal justice system. Also the campaigns are the same tbh. OP obviously has behaved completely reasonably but her neighbour is exactly the same sort of twat who was started a petition and for himself in the news (with fucking placards fgs) when the child was going to move near him (into a detached house with its own land fwiw).

I don’t know whether the OP is going to have a problem or not. None of us do. I think as she is concerned she should find out who to contact if issues arise. I would hope that given the location & style of housing the tenants will be carefully chosen. In my job we certainly would not be recommending terraced accommodation for anyone who was likely to impact on neighbours.

@StressedNameChanged re @scarbados do you not talk with your immediate neighbours?

Yes, I do. But I fail to understand what point you're making. People are free to move into homes without needing the approval of their neighbours. And FYI the house next to mine is used as a hostel for 8 elderly people with a history of mental health issues. They're great neighbours when we see them, which isn't often enough TBH. Does your response mean you wouldn't speak to someone with 'problems' of any kind?

My friend just immigrated from Puerto Rico to the Uk. Using Airbnb for the first 2 weeks in a fairly expensive southern town. Staying in an executive flat. Got in there, and it had been used as a crack den. Excrement on the walls and floor, needles, scales. His wife cried. They are now staying with us. She’s never seen anything like it in her own country. Op I understand why you are nervous

@scarbados

How wonderful that all 8 your neighbours with 'mental health issues' were all so lovely.

That would not always be the case, and the OP has a right to be worried and concerned.

There's no way I would be living next to a place like that.

YANBU at all OP, but will be told by many people (who don't have to live next to people like this,) that YABU.

No way in hell would the vast majority of people on this thread want to live next to a place like that, no matter what they say.

I know I wouldn't! I know they have to live SOMEWHERE, I just don't want them next to me (Or within half a mile!)

I have lived next to similar in the past, and it's no picnic, and I would never want to live next to anything like that again. I work hard, (and always have worked hard,) and I pay all my own bills, and my own mortgage; so I have a right to say what I would not want to live next to. So I am a NIMBY... So what?

The OP has said and done nothing wrong. She is within her rights to be pissed off and not want to live next to this place, without being attacked for it. Some of the self-righteousness and virtue-signalling on here is a bit nauseating tbh.