HOMELESS people across the Hambleton area are to benefit from a £750,000 scheme to provide support and housing.

Eight homes are to be bought across the region to provide housing and support for the homeless.

The service will open initially next month, with more houses to be opened shortly in the collaboration between one of the region's major housing associations, Endeavour, and Hambleton District Council.

Hambleton District Council will put forward £500,000 and Endeavour will provide £250,000 for the scheme.

Endeavour supported housing manager Carole Morgan said: "It is much better for homeless people to move into good quality housing in areas that they know, and where they have relatives and friends.

"Another plus is that children can continue to go to the same school and the disruption to their education is minimised."

Endeavour currently provides accommodation for 1,400 tenants across the North East, with this new programme providing shelter for eight small family units or individuals to keep them off the streets in the short term.

Mrs Morgan said: "People can become homeless for a variety of reasons, including loss of employment, family breakdown or even illness and this scheme will provide excellent support to help families through a very difficult time in their lives, and to overcome their problems."

The association will provide a support service, then the local authority will advise clients to help them secure permanent accommodation.

Eric Kendall, Hambleton District Council head of environmental health and housing, said: "We are trying to move people, especially families, out of bed-and-breakfast into more suitable accommodation.

"This is one way of doing it, and for us is one of the easy ways of getting properties quickly to try to tackle the growing homelessness situation in the area."

Updated: 11:05 Thursday, May 29, 2003