Tackling homelessness with Housing First, Homes England and Test Valley Borough Council 

Part of our work within the Aster Foundation supports the Housing First initiative to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. We are keen to continue our work with Housing First to help give as many people as possible that need it a stable home in which to help them to rebuild their lives.

The twelve-month programme enables people to have and keep a home and so far, ten customers have graduated through the programme – nine of these customers are still with Aster and one customer has moved to a different property on a standard tenancy. We also currently have eight active tenancies on the programme being actively supported through our charity partner, Two Saints.

£350k funding has also recently been secured from Homes England to provide five homes that will help rough sleepers off the streets in Hampshire and Wiltshire. Aster will be working with Test Valley Borough Council, homeless charity Two Saints and Vivid housing in Andover to deliver this programme. Four homes have been purchased with plans to secure a final home for this long-term project. Over the next 30 years, these five homes will continue to provide homes for people who are at risk of rough sleeping, or who have been sleeping rough in the borough.