Action For Housing have issued a statement calling for further clarity from the Government regarding Bridge House.

A statement from Action For Housing follows below:

In May this year, the public was informed that a full planning application had been submitted for the development of a 23‑unit halfway house for homeless men at Johnston’s Passage. The announcement generated understandable interest and hope, given the clear and growing need for supported accommodation for vulnerable men seeking to rebuild their lives.

However, six months on, the community has been left without any substantive update on the project’s progress, funding, timeline, or operational structure. This silence is unacceptable.

On 22nd October, Action for Housing wrote to Housing Minister Pat Orfila to request clear answers to several essential questions. Our intention was, and remains, to ensure accountability, clarity, and urgency around a facility that has been publicly promoted as a key social initiative.

On 6th November, we received a response that did not address any of the questions raised. Instead, it restated only what had already been said in public: that the building had been donated by the Gibraltar Government to the Charitable Trust responsible for the project and that the initiative is described as “community driven.” The Government’s response, or lack of it, provides the public with no meaningful information.

Despite the six-month period since the project was announced, the following critical points remain unaddressed:

Why is a halfway house of such social importance being placed entirely in the hands of a charity rather than being funded and managed directly by the Government?

If the facility relies on donations, what is the total amount required, what funds have been raised so far, and is there a clear fundraising strategy?

When will the halfway house, now named Bridge House,realistically open its doors to those who urgently need it?

The community deserves clarity. The homeless men waiting for stable accommodation deserve better than prolonged silence.

We will continue to press for transparency and accountability until the necessary information is provided and until Bridge House becomes a functioning and effective support facility.