LandAid, YMCA and Co-op partner to bring empty homes back into use for young people.

LandAid partners with One YMCA and YMCA London CAN and Co-op to deliver a new housing project that will support young people facing homelessness to take their next steps towards independent living.

05/06/2026

The partnership will bring four residential properties within Co-op’s estate into use as accommodation for young people aged 16–25.

The project

At a time when the shortage of genuinely affordable housing continues to present a major barrier for young people, this partnership demonstrates how cross-sector collaboration can unlock underused assets and deliver meaningful social impact. LandAid, property industry charity, supported the partnership, helping to bring together One YMCA, YMCA London CAN, and Co-op to deliver the project.

The project brings four residential properties within Co-op’s estate, including homes above Co-op shops, into use as accommodation for young people aged 16–25 who are ready to move on from supported accommodation and build independent lives. Co-op is providing the homes on a 10-year lease, including a five-year rent-free period, enabling the scheme to be delivered on a sustainable basis.

All four homes required significant refurbishment to bring them up to a good standard and reconfigure underused communal space into additional bedrooms. To make the project viable, LandAid has provided a £120,000 grant towards refurbishment costs, with YMCA funding the remaining capital works. The refurbishment is now complete, and the flats are ready to welcome young people.

With the Government recently announcing its ambition to halve long-term rough sleeping, reform of the private rented sector and investment in supported housing, partnerships like this demonstrate how organisations can work together to deliver practical, local solutions.

Through its supported housing services the YMCA operates a Dynamic Pathway to Independence, supporting young people facing multiple disadvantages to develop the skills, habits and confidence they need to thrive independently. This pathway culminates in “move-on” accommodation such as these flats, where only low levels of ongoing support are required.

Gareth Pettit, LandAid’s Head of Strategic Programmes said:

“This project shows what’s possible when the property industry steps up and works in partnership to tackle youth homelessness head on. By bringing Co-op’s underused properties together with the expertise of One YMCA, we’re turning empty spaces into safe, stable, affordable homes for young people who are ready to move on from supported accommodation, step into independence, and fulfil their potential.

At LandAid, we bring together the relationships, insight and funding needed to make projects like this happen, working alongside our charity partners to deliver practical solutions where they’re needed most. At a time when too many young people are being locked out of housing, this kind of collaboration isn’t just valuable, it’s essential.”

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