Your Place discusses its innovative congregate Housing First model and its transformative outcomes for residents. Their CEO, Amanda Dubarry, will be speaking in more detail on the subject at a workshop session at Homeless Link's Under One Roof conference in June.
Homelessness services have made huge strides through housing-led approaches. But housing alone is often not enough, particularly for people who have experienced long-term homelessness and deep social isolation. A growing gap exists for those who cannot thrive living alone, and whose long-term needs are not well served by short‑term hostels.
At Your Place, we believe the next chapter in homelessness support must intentionally design community into services. That belief led to the creation of The Harbour Project, a pioneering pan-London service combining Housing First principles with a congregate housing model.
Opened in 2025, the project offers something new in the UK context: long-term, self-contained homes alongside shared spaces and consistent relationship-based support designed to reduce loneliness and exclusion. We’ve brought together Housing First practice with the creative repurposing of buildings to support people who often remain in short-term services far longer than intended.
Why community is central to long-term outcomes
We see time and again how homelessness erodes social connections. Many people lose family ties, friendships and trust in services. While Housing First rightly prioritises choice and independence, living alone can inadvertently deepen isolation for people who already feel disconnected from society.
The Harbour Project responds to this reality. Residents live in self-contained flats, retaining autonomy and privacy, while benefiting from communal spaces, shared activities and 24/7 on-site staffing. The service is not time-limited, nor driven by move-on targets. Instead, it offers long-term stability and the opportunity to rebuild a sense of belonging at each resident’s own pace.
Our model emerged from collaboration with London Councils, the GLA, sector partners and people with lived experience, who highlighted unmet, long-term needs for individuals unable to thrive in short-term or unsupported accommodation.
From housing to home
Since opening, the project has shown that designing community into housing can transform outcomes. In its first nine months, 100% of residents sustained their tenancies and engaged in activities including communal meals, health screenings, peer support, volunteering, resident meetings and education and employment workshops.
Participation is voluntary, with activities shaped and led by residents themselves. For many, the greatest impact has been restored confidence and connection.
Alina moved in after years of isolation linked to paranoid schizophrenia. She says, “I’m happy here and it’s a good environment for me. There are people to support me, and I’ve made friends. I’m not isolated.” Alina now supports other residents, accompanying them to medical appointments and offering translation.
Naz, who is autistic, had experienced repeated rejection and exclusion. “From the moment I arrived, I’ve only experienced kindness. Now I feel hope,” he says. Feeling accepted has allowed him to build his sense of self-worth and future aspirations.
A relational model built for the long-term
What distinguishes The Harbour Project is its relational approach to long-term support. Our team work alongside residents without predefined endpoints, recognising that recovery, stability and growth are non-linear.
Residents help shape the service through forums, co-designed activities and shared decision-making, strengthening agency and ensuring the service remains responsive and grounded in lived experience.
Importantly, this approach prevents people returning to homelessness. Long-term housing combined with trauma-informed support and community connection provides the foundation that short-term services often cannot.
Implications for the wider sector
The Harbour Project has attracted interest from local authorities, national government and sector bodies, and features in the Government’s National Plan to End Homelessness.
The approach demonstrates how existing hostels and short-term accommodation buildings can be repurposed to meet unmet, long-term needs, and could be scaled to support many more people across the country. For services looking to replicate or adapt the model, three elements are key:
- Funding and partnerships aligned to long-term outcomes, not throughput
- Intentional community-building, with structured activities and peer support
- Housing design that balances independence with shared space
The Harbour Project reinforces our belief at Your Place that housing works best when paired with community, connection and choice. Ending homelessness for good means ensuring people are not just housed but part of communities where they can belong and thrive.
The Harbour Project has been shortlisted for a Homeless Link Excellence Award in the Unlocking housing supply category. Your Place’s CEO, Amanda Dubarry, will be discussing their pioneering approach at a break-out session on congregate Housing First at Homeless Link’s Under One Roof conference in June, alongside David Leatherbarrow of Two Saints. You can find out more about the excellent range of expert speakers and topical workshops featured at our conference below.