Empty Jewish Care home turns into winter lifeline for homeless

Homeless people in Brighton are to live in an empty Jewish care home this winter after its Jewish owner struck a short-term rental deal with the national charity St Mungo’s. 

Hyman Fine House, just yards from the beach, was due to be sold by Jewish Care, but delays, and a timely approach from the charity, mean it is being temporarily repurposed to address high levels of homelessness in Brighton and Hove.

The agreement follows discussions involving the Sussex Jewish Representative Council (SJRC) and the Brighton and Hove Jewish Welfare Board, with the rental income from the short-term leasing of the building set to benefit the local Jewish community.

Jewish Care chief executive Daniel Carmel-Brown said his team were proud to be working with St Mungo’s and the community to help to move the region’s homeless off the streets and into the warmth over the winter.

In a joint statement, the Representative Council and the Welfare Board said: “We are pleased that Hyman Fine House will not be left empty during the winter.

“In keeping with the Jewish tradition of charity and outreach, it will be used for shelter for those in need in our city.

“We continue to plan additional support and services for those older people in our community with the assistance of Jewish Care.

“The St Mungo’s rental income will be added to the funds available for our communal use for the benefit of the elderly.”

The home has lain empty since July, but its sale – originally planned for this year – has now been delayed into 2023, Jewish Care citing “the uncertainty of the current economic climate and some legal processes to resolve around the building and the Trust under which it is held”.

The statement argued that keeping Hyman Fine House vacant for months over the winter “would not be responsible in terms of protecting the security of the building”, adding that the home’s synagogue would remain locked and inaccessible to St Mungo’s.

Rabbi Pesach Efune of Brighton, together with the home’s registered manager, Natasha Carson, and members of the community have removed all religious and sentimental items and either reunited them with the gifting families or secured them off-site “until they find new homes”.

St Mungo’s said Hyman Fine House will be used for the ‘No Second Night Out’ programme, which limits the amount of time people have to spend sleeping on the streets. It is a rapid assessment and reconnection service, providing people with food, accommodation, and personalised support while a longer-term home is found.

St Mungo’s regional head Rahul Sen said: “We are really grateful to Jewish Care and the Sussex Jewish Representative Council for the opportunity to temporarily use the building, so we can operate this vital service.

“It means we can ensure people have a safe and warm place to stay and receive specialised support, instead of being on the streets.

“We are looking forward to working together and being the best neighbours that we can be to the local community.”