EIGHTEEN properties are being bought by Teignbridge Council to help house refugees in the district.

The authority has announced it has received funding through the Government’s Local Authority Housing Fund to purchase the homes, eitheR newly built or open market, for families who have fled war and conflict in their own countries.

The purchase of the properties, ranging from one bedroom flats to three bedroom houses, is going through the final stages.

The council says the homes will provide housing for Ukrainian refugees who cannot remain with their sponsor families and may be at risk of homelessness.

Several Afghan refugee families in Teignbridge are currently being housed in hotels so some of the properties will be made available for them.

Councillor Lin Goodman-Bradbury, executive member for housing, said: ‘We’re really pleased to have secured this government funding that will provide immediate help to families who have fled war and conflict in their own countries, and reduce pressures on our housing need and homelessness services so that we can continue to support local residents with their housing needs.’

The announcement comes on Ukraine Independence Day August 24.

The properties are in Newton Abbot and the surrounding area and are either new build or bought through the open market.

As of June, figures show there were 296 Ukrainian guests remaining in Teignbridge since the start of the Government’s refugee scheme.

Of those, 87 households are still with their hosts while 20 have been financially supported into settled accommodation.

A further 20 families have funded their own accommodation.

Just 13 families are registered as having returned to Ukraine.

Eleven families are currently being housed in temporary accommodation.

The Government’s Local Authority Housing Fund provides support to local authorities to help them provide accommodation to families who cannot remain in sponsorship and are at risk of becoming homeless.

It will reduce extra pressures on local housing and homelessness services so they can continue to provide for domestic households with housing needs.

However, it has been pointed out that there are 1,000 people waiting on the Teignbridge housing list and 1,200 second homes in the district.

But after initial use, the council says the housing will create a ‘lasting legacy for local communities’ by providing a new and permanent supply of accommodation to help address local housing and homelessness pressures across the Teignbridge district. 

Cllr Goodman-Bradbury, said: ‘The response to the Homes for Ukraine scheme was overwhelming, and many Teignbridge communities came forward to host individuals and families in their own homes.  

‘These properties, many of which are brand new, will give families at risk of homelessness the independence, space and privacy. 

‘It’s also the chance for them to integrate with the local community and play a part in community life.

‘It’s an investment that we simply couldn’t have afforded to make in this current economic climate, so we are really delighted that we’ve been successful in securing the funding to purchase these fantastic homes through this scheme and about the difference they will make to people’s lives.’

Cllr Rosie Dawson, who has hosted a Ukrainian family herself, welcomed the announcement but she said more money is needed for both refugess and local residents needing homes.

She said:’The problem is there is a masive shortage of housng in Teignbridge, as we all know.

‘There is no question refugees need our support and the war has gone on much longer than anyone thought and for hosts, two years is a long time to expect them to have families living with them.’

She explained that work is ongoing to organise re-hosting where refugees can be accommodated by other host families.