A new way of helping young people experiencing homelessness has been unveiled in Peckham.
Reuben House, which is set to open its doors in May 2022, will contain 33 new modular homes, with residents paying one-third of their salary towards rent.
Each 21m sqm studio has a kitchen, dining area, bathroom, as well as a space to sleep and relax.
The median floor space for a flat in the UK is 43 sqm, according to data from the Valuation Office Agency.
Under the terms of the scheme, a 20-year-old in London earning the minimum wage (£6.56 per hour) would pay around £350 per month to live in these self-contained apartments.
Ruben House is part of the charity Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programme, an organisation that seeks to support homeless people aged between 16 – 25 across the UK.
“Our Independent Living Programme is tackling the shortage of quality affordable accommodation head-on, and freeing up much-needed hostel beds,” said Centrepoint director Sally Orlopp.
“This is only the beginning, she added.
“We have every ambition to create 300 more homes across London and Manchester within the coming year.”
Residents can also receive training and support at Reuben House.
Centrepoint staff are able to offer apprenticeships or entry-level roles that may lead to full-time employment across the capital.
“Living in the Independent Living accommodation has allowed me to think about my future,” said 19-year-old Katelin, who is currently living in one of the programme’s homes in east London.
“I think it’s incredibly important for there to be affordable housing for young people, especially people who have not had the easiest upbringing or the easiest background,” she added.
Centrepoint has said it wants to work with “ethical employers” to ensure its residents are earning above the minimum wage at around £18,000 per year.
This would equate to £500 per month rent.
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The facility is named after the Reuben Foundation, which has supported the project with over £1 million to help the development become possible.
It is being constructed by the developer M-AR.
Centrepoint says that the modular designs offer a cost-effective solution to genuinely affordable living, costing significantly less than traditional builds, and reducing construction times by over 50 per cent.
15,000 sixteen to 24-year-olds in London are facing homelessness according to figures compiled by Centrepoint, with 122,000 across the UK either homeless or at risk of homelessness.
