About Latch
Latch purchases empty and rundown houses and refurbishes them to create good quality homes.
Most of the refurbishment work is done by Latch staff and unemployed trainees. Some have construction experience already, while others learn new skills as they work on site.
When they’re fully modernised and furnished, our properties provide energy efficient supported housing for people who are homeless or in housing need and are ready to make positive changes in their lives. Our friendly and experienced support workers help people to settle into their new homes and get back on their feet. We provide a wide range of support with physical and mental wellbeing, including sessions run in our new facility, The Coach House.
By renovating rundown houses and being a responsible landlord we contribute to improving local streets and communities.
An empty, derelict house transformed into a fantastic home from Latch on Vimeo.
History
1989 Latch is set up to work on derelict empty properties with homeless volunteers creating their own housing.
1990 Leeds City Council leases Latch 2 rundown properties in Chapeltown: Latch’s first self-build project.
1994 Winner of the Community Enterprise Award for Housing and Homelessness, presented by Prince Charles.
1999 The National Lottery funds the SOLO project to purchase and refurbish new Latch office premises at 176 Chapeltown Road.
2001 The Number One Project, a self-build project for young people, transforms a large Victorian villa into 6 desirable flats. Latch is awarded the Big Difference Award by the Big Issue in the North.
2003 Latch now has 35 flats and houses and employs 5 staff.
2005 SHIFFT, a 3 year project involving tenants working on their own home improvements is completed, improving 18 properties.
2007 Latch is accredited as a provider of housing support and awarded a contract by Leeds City Council supporting 42 people.
2010 Latch completes a programme of works bringing all properties up to ‘Decent Homes’ standard
2010 Latch completes the eco-renovation of a Grade 2 listed derelict coach house and launches it as the Hands On community training workshop.
2011 Latch wins three awards for the Hands On building: A Civic Trust Award, Green Apple Award and Leeds Architecture Award.
2013 Latch receives funding from the Department of Communities and Local Government Empty Homes Programme to purchase and refurbish 15 empty properties. This will increase Latch’s housing stock to 62 by 2015.
2014 Latch celebrates 25 years of creating homes and changing lives!
2016 Latch starts another Empty Homes programme to purchase and refurbish an additional 16 properties. We win an award in the Empty Homes Awards.
2020 Latch starts a new project “Latch Creates” turning an empty house on Harehills Avenue into 4 one-bed flats, and providing 10 trainee placements. The project is funded by Leeds City Council, Power to Change and ESF Community Grants Programme.
2021 Latch completes the “Latch Creates” project and launches our first Community Share Issue. We raised £550,000 to purchase new properties in Leeds through the share issue. We open The Coach House – our new facility providing a space for workshops and coaching for our tenants and the local community.
2022 Latch completes our 100th home in the city. We are so proud to reach this milestone.
2023. Latch is named as a Big Issue Change Maker 2023.
2024. Latch celebrates 35 years of creating homes and changing lives!