An application to licence a hostel for “vulnerable adults” beside a centre for young people with learning disabilities in South Belfast has been met with fierce opposition at City Hall.
At the Belfast City Council Licensing committee this week, an application by Queens Quarter Housing Limited for HMO licences on two flats at 6 Sandhurst Road, in the Holylands, was deferred for the committee to receive “strategic” advice from council officers.
Elected representatives deferred the matter after a council official from the Licensing department told the committee the application was “unsuitable". Representatives from the Autonomie centre, located beside the hostel at 4 Sandhurst Road, alleged that hostel residents had abused and harassed their staff and had been seen taking and dealing drugs, and consuming alcohol in groups outside their building. The hostel is also located opposite a block of 25 retirement flats at Fitzroy Court, operated by Choice Housing.
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Houses of Multiple Occupation, or HMOs, are homes which landlords may lease out to three or more tenants from different addresses. 6 Sandhurst Road was previously licensed as an HMO in the name of the previous owner, who sold the property to Queens Quarter Housing on September 16 2022. Flats one and two, which are at the centre of the applications, may house four persons each.
Queens Quarter submitted a new licence application on August 22 2022, before the transfer of ownership was completed, and as such the licence which was already in effect is treated as being held until the new application is determined.
Queens Quarter say 6 Sandhurst Road is used "to accommodate vulnerable adults - this at times could include persons with addictions, people with mental health issues, asylum seekers, young people leaving care, or escaping domestic violence.”
Since the change of ownership, Queens Quarter has been providing the service at 6 Sandhurst Road on behalf of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. If the council refuses the new HMO application, it will effectively end the hostel service at that address.
A council officer told the committee that the hostel could house homeless people, people with multiple complex needs, and people who have been excluded from other temporary accommodation providers. He said people could be housed there with arson convictions and a history of violent offending.
The council report states: “Queens Quarter Housing have indicated there has been an incident of a service user being aggressive on December 6 2022, and on February 2 2023, the PSNI attended a reported assault on one tenant by another tenant.” 20 objections were received by the council in relation to the licence application.
Autonomie, an organisation led by volunteers and young people, supports children and young people (aged 16 to 30 years) with a physical or mild to moderate learning disability. It offers training, practical and social activity programmes, independent living skills and practical advice for families and siblings. Its venue for workshops and socials is at Lilac House, 4 Sandhurst Road.
The Chief Executive of Autonomie told the Licensing committee: “We have been based here from 2014, and never had any issues. We work with a very complex needs group - a very vulnerable group.
“While we understand that everyone has a right to a home, and everyone has a right to live, I have to look at the vulnerability of our clients. They do not have a choice in their vulnerability.”
She said: “We have had to adapt by putting CCTV cameras to safeguard our young people and their parents. We have witnessed drug deals going down in front of our property, and we have been verbally abused.
“None of us can work alone, because of the fear of going out of the building. We have a right to safeguard our young people and their parents. I find it interesting that Queens Quarter Housing say they do not accept anyone with drugs and alcohol - I can show that is wrong.
“For staff at a HMO to wear body cams that gives me major concerns for our young people. One of our parents has had their vehicle attacked, and there have been a lot of other incidents. We ask this council to be considerate of other vulnerabilities.”
She added: “The mental health of our staff has suffered, we arrive and leave in convoy. Having to put additional security in has impacted on our budgets for the delivery of services.
“It is very difficult to tell young people with difficulty in understanding why we need cameras, and why they have to sometimes stay indoors, due to the smell and the profanities coming from number six.”
DUP Alderman Dean McCullough told the committee: “Quite frankly it is shameful that an organisation such as (Autonomie), with people dedicated towards helping people with learning and additional difficulties, do not even feel safe enough to come and go from their place of work. I think it is a damning indictment of the council and stakeholders throughout the city.”
A representative for Queens Quarter Housing told the council: “This is providing a service for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. It is also accommodation that is funded by the Department for Communities for Queens Quarter Housing, who have housed some of the most socially excluded and isolated individuals in our community for over 20 years."
She added: “There is no doubt the people being housed in this accommodation are extremely vulnerable and require assistance. The question the council has to answer is, don’t the people who need this help also deserve to live in residential areas?
“If the council feels it is not right to have a HMO for these types of people it will have to answer the question, where does it think it is suitable for these people to go?”
She added: “Queens Quarter has a policy whereby no one who is currently on bail or has pending criminal charges will be housed in that accommodation.
“Every service user has a copy of the service agreement which clearly states that the following unacceptable behaviour may result in their exclusion or their room being closed: alcohol use, substance use, arson, damage to property, discriminatory comments or harassment, violence, abusive aggressive or antisocial behaviour or non-payment of service charge.”
Sinn Féin Councillor John Gormley proposed a deferral on the decision to “enable officers to explore a strategic context” on the issues of HMOs being used as hostels, specifically in the context of South Belfast and the Holylands. He asked for officers to give a presentation on this to allow councillors “to come to an informed decision.” The deferral was supported by elected representatives.
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