Page 10 - Community Living Magazine 35-1

supported living
Building it right

Finding homes for supported living can be difficult. Lisa Brown
is bringing property investors and care providers together to
design and create accommodation to meet various needs

fter being an NHS nurse for over 20
years, I decided to try my hand at
Aproperty investing. After developing
a couple of heritage flats, I was asked by a
specialist housing association to develop a
bungalow for a young man with complex Although I was desperate to help, I was
learning disabilities. still feeling a little burned financially after
They had a bungalow lined up to my experience. So I looked at the bigger
purchase but the property investor who picture. Why were there not more
was going to buy it had had funding issues. properties available that supported living
I thought it sounded interesting and organisations could rent from private
enthusiastically said “yes” without really landlords for people with learning
understanding what I was embarking upon. disabilities? Why were landlords reluctant
This young man had been known to the to let their properties to supported living
local authority for many years for all the organisations? I set out to understand and
wrong reasons – he had been try to solve this.
inappropriately housed in various sense thrown in. We created a safe, I started reaching out to anyone
properties and his current landlord was bespoke home for the young man, where involved in supported living and soon
evicting him for causing damage. he is reported to be settled with reduced realised many landlords were interested in
There was genuine concern about what staff support needs. My intention is that letting their properties to these providers.
would happen to him if a safe home could this is his home for life. Landlords generally get a very bad press
not be found. He was described as However, as a property investor, I had but there are many good, ethical
non-verbal and having complex and many challenges with the house; I landlords who are looking to make a
challenging behaviours, and his care team struggled with getting insurance and a difference with the property they own.
felt he was expressing his frustration at mortgage, and the property was I realised that property investors did not
the situation regarding his property. downvalued as the surveyor felt I had have an adequate understanding of
I bought a detached two-bedroom “ruined” it and could not see the value I supported living and started trying to
bungalow with an integrated garage, had added. I ended up leaving far more raise awareness and educate about this.
which was very tired and needed money in the property than I had I started interviewing people who were
updating. The garage was converted into a intended, and felt a bit burned. doing interesting things in supported
carers’ suite and extensive renovations living on Facebook and this led to my
were carried out to make him a Interest grows setting up the Supported Living Property
safe home. At the same time, I could see how Podcast (https://anchor.fm/lisa-brown-
It was a real challenge, but I loved important it was. The support staff were property) and a YouTube channel.
problem solving to find solutions that thrilled and the local authority was using it Also, I realised a matching service was
would work for him – it felt like a great as a case study of collaboration. I was needed. Landlords were telling me they
use of my nursing skills combined with my approached by several other care providers liked the idea of supported living but they
property knowledge and some common asking me to develop similar properties. did not know how to find or make contact

Office to homes with a sensory garden beautiful, cannot be converted into the
accessible, spacious flats required.
The provider has a close relationship
he team behind Supported Living there will be 14 homes for people with with the job centre. They have worked
Gateway are all property investors learning disabilities and autism. together before, and are looking forward
Tso we continue to develop North Devon has had poor provision to strengthening that bond.
buildings for supported living. and many people have been forced to The site has a beautiful old walled
We are working on a former live away from their community because garden where we will create an accessible
government office in North Devon – a of a lack of safe, supported housing. sensory garden. We are excited to
1960s concrete block, with a job centre We had been struggling to find a transform this building into safe,
on the ground floor. The top two floors suitable property in the area for a while. accessible homes, near the town centre Supported Living Gateway
are being converted into 16 one-bed flats. Most buildings in the town where the so people can be part of the community
One flat on each floor will be for staff, so need is greatest are very old and, while and live close to family and friends.

10 Vol 35 No 1 | Autumn 2021 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk