SASH II funding will enable Juno to acquire at least 18 properties in the Nottinghamshire region, to provide safe and suitable supported accommodation for women and their children.

Juno provides a range of services including a 24-hour freephone helpline, drop-in service, outreach support for women and children, independent domestic violence advocate service, RISE support schemes, refuge provision, pets fostering scheme and domestic violence training for individuals and agencies.

SASH-funded properties will be used as dispersed refuge accommodation for women and their children impacted by domestic abuse (emotional or physical). This service will benefit families with older male children who are unable to access other refuge accommodation. Beneficiaries will be supported across two areas in the East Midlands which are currently underserved (Ashfield and Nottingham). The SASH-funded properties (with up to a two-year tenancy with bespoke specialist support to overcome the abuse they’ve experienced) will address the shortage of this type of property.

The 18 two and three bedroom dispersed properties will house women and their children across Ashfield and Nottinghamshire. Ownership will give Juno more control over their properties and the areas they choose to house women and children. Juno have shown a good level of understanding in why purchasing properties via SASH versus leasing is the better and more sustainable option for them.

The anticipated length of stay for women is likely to be from 12 to 24 months. We therefore expect Juno to support around 180 women and 360 children during the SASH loan term.

The SASH-funded properties will help address the shortage of suitable accommodation in local authorities in which Juno operates and allow the organisation to expand its owned property portfolio and be less reliant on the private rental sector. Given its size, Juno would likely encounter challenges in using the traditional mortgage market to purchase properties at the scale outlined as part of this proposal.

Supporting an organisation such as Juno also carries additional benefits for tenants given the extent to which the organisation is embedded within the overall domestic abuse provision. For example, Juno has established a partnership with Nottingham College allowing women in its refuges to access training and education, with children able to access on-site nursery facilities at the College whilst women are studying.

Juno has good knowledge of the needs of their clients, with prior experience of managing properties and tenancies. Juno are being supported by an existing SASH portfolio company, Hull Women’s Network, to manage the properties and tenancy agreements.