Temporary accommodation

Homelessness can affect anyone at any time. Everyone using our services deserves the support and understanding they receive.

Shape Housing Association provides emergency temporary accommodation to homeless single people and families. We offer supported accommodation and assist people in a very wide range of issues and ensure people are able to maintain a permanent tenancy in the future, to avoid coming through the system again.

The Dartmouth project in Bath.

There are places for 38 households at our Dartmouth project in Bath, and in flats owned by Somer Community Housing Trust throughout the area. We also have two schemes for 14 homeless individuals in Weston-super-Mare.

Applicants are nominated directly by Bath & North East Somerset and North Somerset Councils’ Homelessness Teams.

Residents stay with us for different lengths of time, from a few weeks to about 16 months. An average stay is usually three to five months before they are re-housed by other housing associations on a permanent basis.

We work closely with other supporting agencies in Bath, such as drug and alcohol support services, children's centres, social services and mental health professionals. Our aim is to help residents manage a tenancy long-term and integrate into a local community. A positive, multi-agency approach can address their support issues and help them move forward in a positive way.

For more information, call 01225 484916.

Miss R arrived with her daughter after suffering domestic violence and losing her home. She had very low self-esteem, and no money or items of her own as they had been damaged in her previous home.

In the time Miss R was a resident, she achieved a lot. She began counselling for previous abuse, which helped with her self-esteem, and her anxiety eased. She began college and increased her skills. She found a nursery place and groups for her daughter, which helped with her behavioural issues.

We found charitable help to help obtain items such as bedding and kitchenware. Miss R moved on to a new home and is now confident and progressing with her life. After passing college, she has now found a job using her new skills.