A council has spent £400,000 to buy a former sheltered housing scheme to turn it into temporary accommodation for families facing homelessness.
South Norfolk Council purchased Clare House, in Diss, from Saffron Housing to turn it into 26 self-contained homes for vulnerable people and families.
It comes at a time when the council has seen a surge in families and individuals needing emergency accommodation.
A couple of years ago it had only about 30 people in temporary accommodation, but now there are more than 100 waiting for long-term housing.
Clare House, off Frenze Road, used to be run as sheltered accommodation by Saffron Housing.
But a 2020 review found the buildings no longer complied with regulations, so over the the following years, the people living there moved out into new accommodation.
The buildings were sold to South Norfolk Council and have been fully refurbished to welcome the new residents.
Trevor Holden, managing director of Broadland District and South Norfolk councils, said: "The opening of Clare House is a real example of what you can do working in partnership with people you trust to deliver fantastic outcomes for our communities, when they need them the most.
"Clare House will absolutely help us with our temporary accommodation needs, but it’s much, much bigger than that.
"It's a symbol of our fantastic partnership with Saffron where we are focused on making a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.
"The scheme will offer a safe space and ongoing support from housing officers to help residents get back on their feet."
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James Francis, chief executive of Saffron, said: "We are extremely proud to have been working alongside South Norfolk Council to meet the increasing need for temporary housing in the area.
"Clare House has a proud community legacy and we are thrilled to have transferred the property to South Norfolk in a venture that will tackle temporary accommodation needs.
"It will enable Saffron to invest even more in new and existing homes that will benefit the local community, and address long-term housing need."
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