Ghent opens renovated townhouse for mentally vulnerable residents
A renovated townhouse in Ghent was opened on Tuesday as a home for mentally vulnerable people. It is one of the initiatives with which the city is responding to the housing shortage for people with additional needs who cannot afford the rents in the Artevelde district.
The project is run by the psychosocial support body IPSO, which renovated and furnished the house for four residents.
The house has four furnished private rooms and shared kitchen, living room and bathrooms. Residents pay an accommodation fee and receive support from IPSO with daily activities such as cooking, cleaning and personal hygiene.
Robust housing
IPSO received 70,000 euros in support from the city of Ghent. In February, another 11 small houses for unhoused people were opened, each measuring 36 square metres. The intention was to provide intensive support for people who had previously been living on the streets through "robust housing", places designed to help those with significantly higher needs.
Another call for projects has been open since 1 July, with an application period until 30 September 2025. Applicants can apply for grants, including for temporary mobile housing units. The aim is to create more quality housing for vulnerable target groups.
"It is essential for these people to have decent housing so that they can build their lives," says Tine Heyse, Groen councillor responsible for housing.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO BELGIAN FREELANCE
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