A HOMELESS charity is having to turn away ‘more people than ever before’ – while another has warned that there could be a ‘surge’ in Islanders needing accommodation over the next few years as house and rental prices continue to soar.
Frank Walker, chairman of the Sanctuary Trust, which supports up to 24 men across two sites, said the ongoing rise in house prices and rental costs was ‘the biggest crisis’ Jersey had seen in years.
The organisation is currently operating at capacity and has had to turn away 11 people in the past two months.
Mr Walker said: ‘We have certainly been turning away more people than ever before and it is absolutely heartbreaking. To look in the eyes of a desperate man and have to tell him no, and to see his despair, cuts our staff to pieces.
‘None of them want to have to turn people away.’
The latest House Price Index showed that the average cost of a home rose from £580,000 in 2020 to £673,000 last year – a jump of around £1,788 a week.
Meanwhile, average weekly earnings for full-time employees in June stood at £820 per week, compared to £780 in 2020.
Mr Walker said: ‘I think the current housing situation, in terms of the ever-increasing house prices and rental costs, is the biggest crisis Jersey has seen for many years.
‘In terms of homelessness, it is bound to have an impact, as more people who can no longer afford to rent and are certainly not in a position to buy – and don’t want to leave the Island – will have no alternative but to turn to organisations such as ourselves.’
Shelter Trust chairman Neville Benbow said the charity, which provides accommodation and support for over 100 Islanders, was looking after ‘a lot of people’ who were in full-time employment but could not afford to rent.
He said: ‘When we consider soaring property prices and rents, as well as an increased cost of living in Jersey, we have to ask whether there will be a surge in homelessness over the next few years. Our view is yes, there will be, and we need to be ready for that. Unless the issues within the housing market are solved, then the pressures are going to continue to increase.’
He added: ‘With this in mind, we will shortly be opening our women-only facility, providing much-needed accommodation for up to 22 women. Whether this will be enough to satisfy demand remains to be seen but we are determined to keep our doors open to anyone who finds themselves homeless and in need of our support.’
Sarah Tumelty, general manager of the Sanctuary Trust, said: ‘I think it is inevitable that the growth in house prices will have a knock-on effect on the greater issues faced by people in our Island, particularly the vulnerable. Private rental prices are also rising and this results in people being unable to keep up with the price increases, as wages are not increasing at the same rate.
‘Sanctuary Trust is operating at full capacity with all 24 rooms in use. As soon as a room becomes available at Sanctuary House, it is taken within days by someone on our waiting list [and] 30% of the residents at Sanctuary House are in full-time employment. That percentage at our secondary property, Sanctuary Lodge, is higher but changes more frequently.’
