Family left facing a homeless Christmas

Michelle Fyffe-McFadden, who lives in the family hostel in Killaney Avenue with her seven year-old son, was told last Thursday that the hostel would be closing in sixteen days.

But, with no permanent home to go to, Michelle, who suffers from serious health complaints, fears her family will be forced to move to temporary housing outside Lisburn.

“There are three families left in the hostel and we are getting no help whatsoever,” said Michelle.

“We feel really let down and I don’t know where to turn.

“I know we are highly placed on the waiting list but three houses have come up in our preferred area of Ballymacash, where my son goes to school, in the last four months and have been given to people already in houses. I don’t understand and I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he was very disappointed at the decision by the Housing Executive to close the Old Warren Hostel.

“I am deeply concerned,” said Mr Donaldson.

“This is one of only a few such facilities available to people who find themselves homeless in the Lisburn area.

“Its closure will cause immense hardship for families who find themselves in this situation.

“I have dealt with many cases over the years, especially vulnerable young women and children who have sought emergency accommodation. If we lose this hostel there will be only very limited accommodation available from the Housing Executive on an emergency basis and that isn’t good enough for a city the size of Lisburn.

“I am raising this matter with senior officials in the Housing Executive and will take it all the way to the Minister as I believe it is the wrong decision.

“I will be doing my best to support this family to find permanent housing accommodation but I also question the outcome of the economic appraisal as I believe it is difficult to put a price on emergency accommodation for people who are in a very vulnerable position.”

A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said they were working to secure alternative accommodation for the remaining hostel tenants.

“Following an economic appraisal it was decided in July 2014 to close the hostel at Old Warren,” she explained. “We immediately informed those in residence of this 
decision and ceased to 
place new people in the 
hostel.

“Since then we have worked with our tenants to relocate them to appropriate accommodation as and when it arose.

“Only three of the ten units are now occupied and we have assured our remaining tenants we will find alternative accommodation for them as close as possible to their areas of choice.”