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Prince William is eager to tackle homelessness in the U.K.
The Prince of Wales announced he is launching a plan to build 24 new homes for people experiencing housing difficulties in Cornwall, England, Fox News Digital learned on Monday.
It is understood that land for the homes will be provided by the royal’s Duchy of Cornwall estate. The development is expected to begin in September of this year, and the first homes will be completed by fall 2025.
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Prince William announced a plan to build 24 new homes for people experiencing homelessness in Cornwall, England. (JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP)
The campaign is part of the 41-year-old’s five-year goal to end homelessness in the U.K. Last year, the father of three said he wants to make sure that instances of people being left without a roof over their heads are "rare, brief and unrepeated."
The Duchy of Cornwall is teaming up with St Petrocs, a local Cornish charity, to build homes in Nansledean, Newquay, in the far southwest of England. It will cost nearly $4 million (£3 million). William and the Duchy will also provide the design and development management expertise.
"As one of his key priorities for the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William asked us to address the homelessness challenge within Cornwall and other areas where the estate resides," Ben Murphy, estate director at the Duchy of Cornwall, said in a statement seen by Fox News Digital.
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales and president of BAFTA, arrives to attend the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre in London on Feb. 18, 2024. (JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP)
"The shortage of social rent and private rented properties are widely considered to be the main causes of increasing homelessness across the country, which is why we are proud to launch this project alongside ambitious plans to unlock more affordable and attainable homes across our estate," he added.
A spokesperson for Kensington Palace, which handles William’s office, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
William inherited the Duchy of Cornwall estate, which is worth a reported $1 billion, when he became the Prince of Wales upon the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. England’s longest-reigning monarch died in 2022 at age 96.
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Prince William became the Prince of Wales following the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022. (Max Mumby/Indigo)
Historically, the Duchy provides an income to the heir of the British throne to support him and his family, as well as to pay for his public duties and staff costs, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, it provides an estimated $30 million income for William, his wife Kate Middleton and their three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.
King Charles III, left, and Prince William are seen here at Duchy Home Farm. (Tim Graham Photo Library)
"Everybody at St Petrocs is delighted to be part of this collaboration with the Duchy of Cornwall, said Henry Meacock, chief executive of St Petrocs, in a statement viewed by Fox News Digital.
"Our charity has been working in Cornwall for over 30 years and has supported many hundreds of people in this time," he shared. "With the Duchy of Cornwall, we believe we can deliver a truly exemplary project embedded in the local community which will provide a route for many more people out of homelessness for good."
Prince William and Kate Middleton share three children, from left to right, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. (Max Mumby/Indigo)
"We look forward to working together to demonstrate the importance of high-quality temporary accommodation, where individuals can build a connection to their community and a clear pathway to permanent local housing," Meacock continued. "This partnership is an important step in achieving our shared goal of ending homelessness in Cornwall and across the U.K."
William’s initiative, known as Homewards, hopes to learn from the example of countries such as Finland, which has virtually eliminated homelessness, in part by ensuring that people in crisis receive permanent housing as a first step before trying to address other issues such as substance abuse, the royal said last year.
Prince William is seen here getting ready to sleep out in the streets of London to raise awareness of Centrepoint's work with homeless young people on Dec. 15, 2009 in London. (Anwar Hussein/WireImage)
At the time, William announced the plan as rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing pushed more people into homelessness amid the biggest decline in living standards since World War II. Recent research indicates that more than 300,000 people throughout the U.K. have no permanent housing on any given night, including those who are sleeping on the streets, living in cars, staying in hostels or temporarily seeking help from family and friends, Homewards said.
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In this undated photo, a young Prince William talks to a homeless person like his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. (Tim Graham Photo Library)
The prince said he first learned about homelessness when he visited shelters with his mother, Princess Diana, when he was 11. Like his mother, William became a patron of the Centrepoint charity in London. In 2009, he joined their sleep-out in London. Last year, on his 40th birthday, he sold copies of The Big Issue, which supports the homeless, on the streets of London wearing a baseball cap.
"I met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heartbreaking personal stories," he said. "Too many people have found themselves without a stable and permanent place to call home.″
Professor Peter Mackie, a member of the Homewards National Expert Panel, said in a statement: "Across the U.K., the lack of truly affordable homes is causing homelessness and results in hundreds of thousands of people living in poor quality temporary accommodation, with a lack of support and often putting their lives on hold for years."
Prince William, Prince of Wales, speaks to Pret staff with CEO Pano Christou, left, during a visit to Pret A Manger on Sept. 7, 2023, in Bournemouth, England. The Prince of Wales visited Bournemouth businesses pledging their support to the Homewards program, which aims to end homelessness. (Chris Jackson)
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"Building enough permanent affordable homes is a priority, and until we achieve this goal, we must rethink and redesign our temporary solutions," said Mackie. "This project, a collaboration between the Duchy of Cornwall, St Petrocs and Homewards, hopes to demonstrate the power of delivering high-quality temporary accommodation that really feels like home and gives people the dignity they deserve, alongside a clear pathway to permanent accommodation, creating a model that can be replicated and inspire innovation across the U.K."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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