Fury as homeless charity rents out affordable housing pods on AIRBNB for £220 a night
A HOMELESS charity has sparked fury after it rented out its affordable housing pods on AirBnB for up to a whopping £220 a night.
Emmaus is a leading charity for the homeless in Bristol but has been slammed for making cash from renting out space on the popular accommodation site.
It has recently opened the tiny pods as part of a larger development on the roof of its headquarters in the city.
But two of them have recently sprung up for hundreds of pounds a night and are available for the public to stay in.
“Are you kidding?” said one disgusted Tweeter.
“AirBnB is one of the leading causes of gentrification and rent increases in urban areas - which leads directly to homelessness!
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“Have you considered that you could’ve just let homeless people live here instead? Disgraceful.”
But the charity replied: “The pods are an addition to our multi-enterprise site.
“They’ll be used to provide long term ££ support for residents.
“They don’t take from housing stock and are too small for living so provide a holiday option that isn’t a potential home.”
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But others were furious at the move too, especially as Bristol has seen an explosion of AirBnB lets, forcing some out of their homes to make way for tourists.
“Something seriously wrong when you have homeless families in hotels and tourists staying in private homes,” another said.
“So many profiting off the guise of charity. Sickening,” said another.
'SICKENING'
Another added: “Do you think homelessness could be anything to do with properties being built to generate income, not to actually house people in permanent homes?”
Another added: “Why not build these facilities to house the homeless?” while another said: “This should be illegal.”
Xanne Carey, Interim Chief Executive at Emmaus Bristol said: “It’s really important to note that we are very aware of the housing crisis in Bristol and it was really important to us that, by constructing a new enterprise, we would not be removing any homes from the current housing stock, or using space that could be used for a home.
“We are extremely proud to have achieved this, whilst giving visitors to Bristol the opportunity to support a local charity with their holiday spend.
'SOCIAL ENTERPRISE'
“We always intended for the Eco Pods to be a social enterprise. They were built for this purpose and have never been intended as affordable housing as they do not meet legal minimum space requirements for living.
“The Eco Pods are an extension of our multi-enterprise site here at Backfields, making use of a small amount of air space over our working yard, to help Emmaus Bristol generate the income it needs to support 21 Companions
“Our Companions have their own room with a shared kitchen and living spaces at our main accommodation site.
“The individuals we support have a home with us for as long as they need it, whilst receiving tailored support to rebuild their lives.
'PROVIDE LONG-TERM SUPPORT'
“The purpose of the eco pods is to provide long-term financial support for the Emmaus community they serve and the Companions we support now and in future, and to do this is a way that reduces impact on the environment by using natural and cardon sequestering materials.
“Whilst these units are too small for living accommodation, the principle of prefabricated units that can be lifted into place is something that we are investigating for an entirely separate project for the rooftop of our building, which will provide affordable housing.
“To that end, the Eco Pods are not only going to generate important income for us, they are also providing a ‘live’ sample of the type of materials and construction concept that could be used to develop homes on our rooftop.
“Planning permission has been granted for us to add 15 new homes, made using this construction method, to the rooftop here at Backfields House - homes that would be fit for living, meeting minimum space requirements, areas for growing food and other plants, and provide a community to belong to at the same time.
“This is a much bigger project that we would need to raise funds for and you can find more information .”
At the time the scheme was announced, a release said at least 50% of the homes will be for rent at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, with the rest available at market rents.
The homes will be available to people moving on from Emmaus as well as others, some through referrals and some through the open market.
Each home will have its own private space but will be well connected to a shared landscaped courtyard and rooftop garden allotment for both communal and private use by residents.
An AirBnB description of one of the pods reads: “A remarkable little spot to rest your head after enjoying the delights of Bristol, with the bars, cafes and eateries of Stokes Croft on your doorstep.
“Our Eco Sleep Pods are made using straw fibre insulation and built on a timber frame surrounding our lovely silver birch tree.
“A hotel room on stilts, you'll have a spacious balcony with your own front door, studio bedroom and private shower room.”
The pods have been christened Carmen and Delores.
Bristol has more than 1,000 AirBnb homes.
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The Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, has previously spoken about the “wicked challenges” they cause.
But the charity hit back, saying the two units were in addition to the rooftop development and would not deprive anyone of somewhere to sleep.
