Housing Justice Cymru: 10 Years of Housing, Community and Innovation
July 27, 2026
The beginning of Housing Justice Cymru (2016–2019)
Housing Justice Cymru was established to bring Housing Justice’s successful work in England to Wales. By 2016, Housing Justice had already developed a range of established programmes, including the Night Shelter Network, Hosting and Faith in Affordable Housing (FiAH). These initiatives provided practical models, safeguarding frameworks, volunteer management systems and years of learning that could be adapted for Welsh communities.
Rather than starting from scratch, Housing Justice Cymru’s early years focused on translating these proven approaches into a Welsh context and building relationships with churches, local authorities and housing partners across the country.
Faith in Affordable Housing
Between 2016 and 2019, Housing Justice Cymru began exploring how faith-owned land and buildings could help address Wales’ affordable housing shortage through the Faith in Affordable Housing (FiAH) project.
Working closely with the Church in Wales and other faith groups, the programme sought to identify surplus land and property for affordable housing development. By 2021, a growing pipeline of projects and planning opportunities had been established, demonstrating the potential role of faith communities in tackling the housing crisis.
Supporting Night Shelters in Wales
During this time, Housing Justice Cymru introduced “Shelters in a Pack” to support faith and community groups providing grassroots support to people facing homelessness within their communities.
Drawing on experience from the Night Shelter Network in England, Housing Justice Cymru were able to provide the policies, safeguarding procedures, and support needed to run church-led winter shelters. The partnership was simple – churches contributed buildings and volunteers, while Housing Justice Cymru ensured shelters operated safely and effectively.
By 2018, Swansea’s night shelter network was operating across seven venues, requiring significant collaboration between churches, volunteers and local partners.
As the shelter network matured, conversations began to shift beyond emergency accommodation. Increasingly, attention turned to how people could be supported once they moved on from shelters, particularly in sustaining tenancies and rebuilding connections within their communities.
COVID-19 and the Beginning of Citadel (2020–2022)
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed homelessness services across Wales.
Almost overnight, communal night shelters became unsafe to operate. In response, Welsh Government moved rapidly to provide emergency funding for self-contained accommodation, bringing an end to traditional night shelters across much of Wales.
While this represented a major step forward in reducing the use of communal sleeping spaces, it also revealed a challenge: housing alone could not solve homelessness. Many people still needed practical, emotional and social support to rebuild stability in their lives.
Citadel: Creating a New Model
Drawing on years of experience working with volunteers through the Night Shelter Network, Housing Justice Cymru developed a new response independently of colleagues across the border.
Citadel was designed to retain the strengths of community volunteering while adapting to a post-pandemic world. Rather than volunteers running shelters, volunteers would provide one-to-one support, helping people navigate housing challenges, build confidence and reconnect with their communities.
Developed and launched within just seven months, Citadel opened in Swansea in October 2020 before expanding into Neath Port Talbot shortly after.
The project represented a significant shift from emergency homelessness provision towards prevention, tenancy sustainment and long-term wellbeing.
Launch of Citadel in Wrexham
Following the launch of Citadel in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, where there was some continuity between the closure of night shelters and the introduction of Citadel, the model was later established in Wrexham in late 2021.
In contrast to the earlier sites, there was a longer gap between the closure of shelters and the start of the new service. As a result, almost no volunteers from the previous shelter network remained engaged, and the project had to be built from the ground up.
Despite this, Citadel Wrexham developed a strong identity rooted in the local community. It is now highly engaged with grassroots organisations and informal community networks, working closely with local churches, voluntary groups and neighbourhood-based initiatives. This strong grassroots connection has become a defining feature of the Wrexham model, helping ensure referrals are well embedded in community knowledge and that support is responsive to local need.
Rebuilding volunteer engagement
COVID also had a profound impact on volunteering.
Before the pandemic, hundreds of volunteers had been involved in homelessness services across Wales. Restrictions, health concerns and changing circumstances dramatically reduced volunteer participation, requiring Housing Justice Cymru to rebuild volunteer networks while simultaneously launching an entirely new service model.
Citadel became both a response to homelessness and a way of reconnecting communities after the disruption of the pandemic, and continues to rebuild volunteer networks and engagement.
Responding to Global Displacement (2021–2024)
As new housing crises emerged, Housing Justice Cymru began to apply its expertise within the migrant/refugee sector.
Housing Justice had already developed a Hosting project in London, providing a strong foundation for work with people seeking sanctuary in Wales.
Hosting for people seeking asylum
In 2021, Housing Justice Cymru was approached by Welsh Government to help develop hosting opportunities for people seeking asylum – an exciting new chapter to actively be part of Wales’ Nation of Sanctuary plan.
The organisation was recognised as a trusted partner because of its existing experience in hosting, volunteer management and safeguarding in London. This marked the beginning of a significant new area of work.
Alongside partners including Tai Pawb and the Welsh Refugee Council, Housing Justice Cymru helped develop hosting pathways, standards and support systems that enabled people to open their homes safely and effectively to people with fragile immigration status and no recourse to public funds – making it one of the only safe accommodation options made available for this demographic.
This period involved significant learning around housing safeguarding, partnership working and supporting people with complex needs – especially in a Welsh context where there is less infrastructure, understanding and support for migrant communities compared with London.
Expanding support within Hosting
By 2022 the Hosting project was significantly strengthened through funding from Comic Relief, enabling the programme to expand the level of support available to both hosts and guests and to deepen partnership working across the refugee sector.
This period also saw Housing Justice Cymru’s work on SWEP (Severe Weather Emergency Protocol) influence practice across Wales, contributing to a shift in local authority guidance so that all people, regardless of status, are now considered for accommodation during periods of severe weather.
The Hosting model was formally evaluated in 2023, providing a clear evidence base for its impact, learning and future development.
Responding to the war in Ukraine (2022–2024)
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered one of the largest refugee movements in Europe since the Second World War.
Building on relationships already established through hosting work, the Welsh Government approached Housing Justice Cymru to help coordinate support for people arriving in Wales under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Homes for Ukraine Support Scheme
Housing Justice Cymru rapidly adapted existing hosting expertise to create a national support offer for Welsh hosts and Ukrainian guests.
The programme included:
- Host training
- Information webinars and guidance
- A national support line
- Reflective practice sessions for hosts
- Community-building opportunities
- Support with placement challenges and relationship breakdowns
As the programme evolved, support increasingly focused on complex needs, safeguarding concerns and helping guests move towards longer-term housing solutions.
Airbnb.org emergency accommodation
Housing Justice Cymru also partnered with Airbnb.org and Welsh Government to provide emergency accommodation when hosting arrangements broke down, or when people/families were waiting to be matched with a host.
The service offered rapid, short-term placements for newly arrived Ukrainians, emergency moves and respite accommodation, helping local authorities respond to urgent situations.
At this peak, Housing Justice Cymru employed 18 members of staff working across multiple projects.
Supporting long-term settlement for Ukrainians
As emergency arrivals reduced, the focus shifted towards helping Ukrainians settle into communities across Wales.
The organisation supported people moving from hosting arrangements into private rented accommodation, worked with landlords and local authorities and helped establish welcome centres that provided practical advice and signposting.
By 2023 and 2024, significant evaluation work was undertaken to capture learning from the programme and inform future responses to displacement and sanctuary.
Growth, partnerships and national influence (2023–2025)
The rapid growth of hosting and Ukraine programmes transformed Housing Justice Cymru, strengthening its reputation as a charity capable of responding quickly to emerging housing challenges, while maintaining a strong community focus, but funding sustainability presented new challenges.
The FiAH funding programme came to an end in 2024, having enabled the development of 105 affordable homes that have provided housing for 271 people. Its legacy continues beyond the life of the project, as we developed a webpage sharing our achievements and learnings. Churches across Wales still draw on this learning, relationships and resources to explore how faith-owned land and property can help address local housing need.
The end of several major contracts, including FiAH and our Ukraine projects, highlighted one of the sector’s ongoing challenges: sustaining successful programmes in an increasingly uncertain funding environment.
Despite this challenge, stronger connections between teams in Wales and England created new opportunities for collaboration, shared learning and organisational resilience. For example, the Citadel project was rolled into 5 areas across England following its success in Wales.
Expanding Citadel (2025–Present)
In 2025, Citadel expanded into Newport, where a strong volunteer base and community partnerships helped establish a prevention-focused model supporting people before homelessness occurred. Unlike Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Wrexham, who are all funded by the Local Authority, Citadel Newport is funded under Homelife in partnership with Codi and Barnardo’s and works closely with The Hive who offer a community space.
Referrals increasingly involved people at risk of losing their tenancy, experiencing relationship breakdowns or facing social isolation.
The success of Citadel demonstrates the value of trained volunteers working alongside statutory services. Volunteers bring time, consistency and relational depth that services often struggle to provide at scale. Their role was not simply practical support, but sustained human connection – helping people navigate crises, rebuild confidence, and stay engaged with support systems over time. This relational continuity often proves critical in preventing situations from deteriorating further, particularly where trust in formal services have been eroded.
By the end of 2025, Citadel had over 60 active volunteers across all four areas, with an average length of service of 2.4 years. This level of retention reflected both the strength of the training and support provided and the commitment of volunteers to long-term, meaningful engagement.
Citadel Sanctuary
In 2026, Housing Justice Cymru launched Citadel Sanctuary with support from WCVA funding.
The project emerged directly from learning gained through both Citadel and Hosting.
Housing Justice Cymru had seen first-hand the pressures facing the refugee sector and recognised that many organisations were under-resourced despite the complexity of support required. At the same time, evidence from Citadel demonstrated the impact of volunteer-led, one-to-one support.
Citadel Sanctuary brings these two strands of learning together, adapting the Citadel model to support people seeking sanctuary, which now operates in Cardiff and Newport.
Working with diverse communities, Jobcentre partners and local organisations, the programme focuses on integration, wellbeing, confidence and connection, while remaining rooted in local knowledge and community relationships.
Looking Ahead
Over the last decade, Housing Justice Cymru has evolved from introducing established Housing Justice programmes into Wales to creating innovative Welsh responses to homelessness and displacement.
Throughout this journey, one theme has remained constant: the belief that communities have a vital role to play in addressing housing need.
Looking ahead, Housing Justice Cymru sees opportunities to:
- Expand successful programmes across more parts of Wales
- Strengthen support for grassroots organisations
- Build deeper partnerships with faith and community groups
- Develop more trauma-informed and community-led services
- Share expertise and infrastructure with smaller charities
- Continue creating innovative responses to emerging housing challenges
The next chapter will build on ten years of learning, partnership and adaptation, ensuring that communities remain at the heart of solutions to homelessness and housing insecurity in Wales.
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Get Involved
Housing Justice Cymru has achieved so much over the last decade, but there is still so much to do to alleviate homelessness in our communities. We couldn’t achieve the amazing work we do without our volunteers and supporters.
Could you help us?
Do you have a spare room? Could you welcome a person who is seeking asylum and facing destitution into your home for 6-12 months? This time prevents someone from rough sleeping and offers a period of stability for case workers to help find longer term accommodation and remedy their immigration issue.
We are urgently seeking hosts in Cardiff and Newport who are willing to open their homes and their hearts to prevent people seeking asylum from rough sleeping at such a vulnerable stage in their lives.
Could you spare just 1–2 hours a week to support someone experiencing homelessness?
Our volunteers have made a lasting difference, helping hundreds of people sustain their tenancies, engage in positive activities, develop new skills, and build a genuine sense of community and belonging.
In return, our volunteers receive high-quality training, develop valuable transferable skills, and gain rewarding experience that can benefit both their personal and professional lives. Becoming a Citadel volunteer is an opportunity to make a real difference while growing your own confidence, skills, and experience.
We have volunteer positions in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Wrexham.
Housing Justice aims supports people with a spare room in Cardiff and Newport, who want to earn an extra income, to accommodate newly granted refugees at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping for a six month lodgings placement.
During the six-month placement, Housing Justice will support both resident landlords and refugee lodgers. The placements aims to give newly granted refugees, who are at heightened risk of homelessness, a period of safety and stability to then transition into private renting or another durable accommodation option.
Rent is charged at the LHA rate and landlords only need to commit to 6 months with guidance and support from Housing Justice at every step.
Ever wanted to run a 5K, 10K, half marathon or full marathon? What about taking on a Tough Mudder or a sky dive?
There are so many activities to choose from when you fundraise for Housing Justice – all at a discounted ticket price. All you need to do is raise vital funds to help us support people facing homelessness. Sign up today!
Like all charities, donations are vital to helping us continue our work.
Just £10 could provide a mobile phone top-up, helping someone stay connected with loved ones and essential services. £20 could buy a kettle for someone moving into a new home after a period of rough sleeping. £50 could pay for a week’s food shopping, providing stability at a crucial time.
Every donation, no matter the size, helps us support people experiencing homelessness as they rebuild their lives. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who chooses to support our work.
