The government announced an independent review of the regulation of social housing.
Source: Press release 14 December 2006, Department for Communities and Local Government (020 7944 3000)
Links: DCLG press release
Date: 2006-Dec
A report examined the emergence of very large housing associations, and the effect continued growth would have on their major sectoral relationships, including with the government and regulator. Large associations needed to simplify their structures and how they were governed, in order to deliver the best customer-focused service and maintain beneficial relationships with local partners and government.
Source: Simon Graham, Growing Up: Questions and challenges to promote successful housing association growth, Future Shape of the Sector Commission, c/o L&Q Group (020 8852 9181)
Links: Report | Summary | L&Q press release
Date: 2006-Dec
The Housing Corporation began consultation on a revised resident and community involvement policy. Housing associations managing more than 250 homes would be expected to have at least one resident on their boards; and all associations would be expected to provide financial support to ensure residents had the capacity to engage in involvement activity.
Source: Delivering Change Through Involvement, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2006-Dec
The Local Government Association and the Housing Corporation published a joint protocol setting out how they would work together more closely in promoting affordable housing and building strong, sustainable communities.
Source: Working Together to Build Homes And Strong Communities, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000) and Housing Corporation
Links: Protocol
Date: 2006-Dec
A report said that social rented housing in Scotland might accommodate only 8 per cent of households in Scotland by 2020 - a drop of nearly 70 per cent from the existing level of just over 26 per cent. The people living in social rented housing would be more likely to be young single adult households and people with some form of support need.
Source: The Future for Social Renting in Scotland, Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland (0131 225 4544)
Links: Report | CIH press release
Date: 2006-Nov
A survey examined progress on council estates since 1980 - the key changes and what lay behind them, from national policy to community activity. It also captured the impact of the recent strong economy and housing market. Most of the estates had turned from a vicious circle of deprivation and stigma to a virtuous circle of improved popularity and easier management.
Source: Rebecca Tunstall and Alice Coulter, Twenty-five Years on Twenty Estates: Turning the tide?, Policy Press for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release | LSE press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Nov
The Housing Corporation launched a neighbourhoods and communities strategy, designed to encourage social housing providers to build strong relationships with local government and residents; become involved in local strategic partnerships; and promote social enterprise to help 'unblock' people?s long-term dependency on benefits.
Source: Neighbourhoods and Communities Strategy, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Strategy | Housing Corporation press release | NHF press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A report highlighted the positive impact of choice-based lettings schemes, designed to give social housing tenants a greater say over where they lived.
Source: Monitoring the Longer-Term Impact of Choice-based Lettings, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report | Summary | DCLG press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A report examined how neighbourhood management pathfinders had sought to work with and influence housing services, affecting both social housing and private housing. (The pathfinders were designed to test out a new model of neighbourhood management.)
Source: SQW Ltd, Housing: A theme report from the neighbourhood management pathfinder programme national evaluation, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Department for Communities and Local Government (020 7944 8383)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Oct
A report highlighted the 'confusing mix of rights' for social housing tenants. It called for better and clearer information for tenants about their rights, to help redress the imbalance of power between landlord and tenant.
Source: Ed Mayo and James Tickell, A Consumer Audit of Social Housing, National Consumer Council (020 7730 3469)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Oct
The Housing Corporation published its corporate plan for the period 2006-2009.
Source: Corporate Plan 2006-09, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Plan | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2006-Oct
Researchers examined the views and experiences of 'right to buy' among tenants, purchasers, and purchasers of former 'right to buy' properties. For individuals exercising the right to buy, impacts included changes in attitude and expectations towards home ownership, an increased sense of freedom, ability to undertake home improvements, and a sense of financial stability. For some communities, the right to buy had improved their neighbourhood socially and structurally: but negative impacts included reduced rental housing stock, and declines in other neighbourhoods.
Source: Jenny Holt Brook, Andrea Kinver and Valerie Strachan, Views and Experiences of the Right to Buy Amongst Tenants and Purchasers, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283) | The Right to Buy in Scotland: Pulling Together the Evidence, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop
Links: Report | Summary | Statutory report | SE press release | Shelter press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2006-Sep
The government said that it accepted most of the recommendations made by the Elton review of regulatory and compliance requirements for registered social landlords (published in April 2006); and it published a joint action plan with the Housing Corporation designed to implement them.
Source: The Elton Review of Regulatory and Compliance Requirements for Registered Social Landlords: Joint DCLG / Housing Corporation Action Plan, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Action plan | DCLG press release | Elton report
Date: 2006-Sep
Campaigners set out the case in favour of maintaining and expanding the local council housing sector.
Source: The Case for Council Housing in 21st Century Britain, Defend Council Housing (020 7987 9989)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Sep
A study of tenants? views by an independent commission found that housing associations could improve both service quality and accountability.
Source: Tenant Involvement Commission, What Tenants Want, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: Report | Summary | NHF press release
Date: 2006-Sep
A paper examined the role of members of governing boards of formerly public assets, where these assets had been transferred to a private or quasi-public organization. It used a case study concerning the governing board of a housing association. It highlighted tensions in the notion of 'neutrality', and explored what counted as 'expertise'.
Source: Dave Cowan, Morag McDermot and Jessica Prendergast, Governing and Governance: A social housing case study, Working Paper 06/149, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2006-Aug
The Housing Corporation published its annual report for 2004-05.
Source: Annual Report and Accounts: 2004/05, HC 1422, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2006-Aug
A briefing paper examined the key factors influencing the supply of sub-market affordable housing in England - housing provided with public subsidy that was rented out at lower than market rents, or sold under a low-cost home ownership scheme. It also explained government measures to improve the affordability of housing sold on the open market.
Source: Wendy Wilson and Julien Anseau, Affordable Housing in England, Research Paper 06/41, House of Commons Library (web publication only)
Links: HOC Library research paper
Date: 2006-Aug
A study examined the extent to which housing association tenants and people with other tenure types (e.g. owner-occupiers, local authority tenants, private renters) differed in their attitudes towards issues such as landlord choice, security of tenure, and satisfaction with their property and local area. It found a general aspiration towards home ownership: but this was lowest among housing association tenants, possibly because many did not consider it feasible for themselves. Most people favoured the tenure they were already in, and attitudes had been reasonably consistent over time, even following the fall in the housing market in the late 1990s.
Source: Public Attitudes to Housing, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Statistical supplement
Date: 2006-Jul
The government announced an independent assessment of social housing, to be led by Professor John Hills. It would examine the role of social housing in the 21st century, in particular whether the system was flexible enough to cope with people's changing circumstances. It would also explore how social housing could help create mixed communities; and whether there were barriers for housing associations, local authorities or tenants, to the take-up of the 'Social Homebuy' scheme.
Source: Press release 20 June 2006, Department for Communities and Local Government (020 7944 3000)
Links: DCLG press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined options for the regulation of the affordable housing sector. It said that continuing a system that regulated housing associations and other bodies in different ways was impractical in the long term.
Source: Jeff Zitron and Cranfield Centre for Competition and Regulation Research, The Future of Regulation of the Affordable Housing Sector in England, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Report | CIH press release
Date: 2006-Jun
The Housing Corporation announced that it had finalized the first-ever contract direct with a private sector housebuilder for the construction of affordable homes in England. It said that it had created "a new market in the supply of affordable housing".
Source: Press release 20 June 2006, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A think-tank report examined a wide range of issues stemming from the stigma and polarization that had resulted from the homes for life approach to social tenancy.
Source: Tim Dwelly and Julie Cowans (eds.), Rethinking Social Housing, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jun
The government set out its views on options for the management of council homes in local authorities with arm's length management organizations (ALMOs), once the 'decent homes' programme had been completed.
Source: Review of Arms Length Housing Management Organisations, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report | Summary | Hansard
Date: 2006-Jun
A report said that housing associations were among the most successful and financially strong organizations working in the 'third sector'. Their work went beyond building and managing homes to providing community and neighbourhood services.
Source: Richard Evans and Richard Meegan, Up Your Street: Housing associations and the neighbourhoods and communities agenda, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2006-May
A report (by an official advisory body) examined the law relating to the existing forms of housing tenancies in the rented sector and their creation, terms and termination, with a view to its simplification and reform. It recommended the creation of a single social tenure, to enable social housing providers and private landlords to rent on identical terms. It also recommended a new ?consumer protection? approach which focused on the contract between the landlord and the occupier (the contract-holder), incorporating consumer protection principles of fairness and transparency.
Source: Renting Homes: The Final Report, LC297, Cm 6781, Law Commission, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report vol1 | Report vol2 | Summary | Law Commission press release
Date: 2006-May
A survey found general support among housing experts for the government?s social housing policies: but they also said that the focus needed to shift from the ?decent homes? programme to the creation of mixed and sustainable communities.
Source: From Decent Homes to Great Places: An independent national survey of public and private sector housing experts and opinion leaders, PricewaterhouseCoopers (020 7583 5000)
Links: Report | PWC press release
Date: 2006-May
An article examined the attempts of English central government to control the rents that social housing landlords set for individual properties.
Source: Alex Marsh and Bruce Walker, 'Getting a policy to 'stick': centralising control of social rent setting in England', Policy & Politics, Volume 34 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
An article drew on a study of registered social landlords in Scotland to explore the role and impact of housing organizations in developing social capital in deprived communities.
Source: John Flint and Ade Kearns, 'Housing, neighbourhood renewal and social capital: the case of registered social landlords in Scotland', European Journal of Housing Policy, Volume 6 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
A report examined the regulatory and other compliance requirements which affected registered social landlords, and made recommendations for simplifying them.
Source: Review of Regulatory and Compliance Requirements for RSLs, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release | CIH press release | NHF press release
Date: 2006-Apr
A report said that all council housing in Wales should be transferred into private hands to help pay for housing repairs. A new housing finance company should be set up, which could borrow money at favourable rates. The move would raise the estimated 3 billion needed over the next 30 years.
Source: The Future of Social Housing, Institute of Welsh Affairs (029 2057 5511)
Links: IWA press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
A new book examined the operation and impact of the right to buy policy, and the way in which it had reversed the growth in social housing, transformed the nation's tenure structure, and revolutionized the housing system.
Source: Colin Jones and Alan Murie, The Right to Buy, Blackwell Publishing (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Mar
An article examined the pressures and challenges raised by recent changes in the social housing sector, including patterns of increasing differentiation and fragmentation.
Source: Paul Hickman and David Robinson, 'Transforming social housing: taking stock of new complexities', Housing Studies, Volume 21 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Mar
An audit report said that the transfer of council housing ownership in Scotland was bringing benefits for tenants. There had been more investment in properties, and greater tenant control. It was facilitating increased repairs and maintenance and the building of new homes, and was keeping rent increases down.
Source: Council Housing Transfers, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report | Summary | Audit Scotland press release | SE press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-Mar
An article examined how approaches to tenant participation evolved in the English local authority housing sector in the 1990s.
Source: Paul Hickman, 'Approaches to tenant participation in the English local authority sector', Housing Studies, Volume 21 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Mar
A report examined experiences in major housing estate transformation projects. It could be easier to make physical improvements to homes and the layout of an estate than to tackle the underlying reasons why communities had gone into decline. Environmental improvements alone might not be enough to regenerate areas unless there were a co-ordinated approach to improving access to jobs, boosting residents' skills levels, and tackling health inequalities.
Source: John Thornhill (ed.), Transforming Estates, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Report | CIH press release | Inside Housing report | Local Government Chronicle report
Date: 2006-Jan
A report examined regional differences in the demand for affordable housing, and the profile of those who lived there. There were many historical reasons why substantial differences existed among the regions in the level of demand for affordable housing, the type of housing in most demand, the profile of households, and among potential applicants to social housing.
Source: Sheila Chung (ed.), Regional Demand for Affordable Housing, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Date: 2006-Jan
A study examined social fragmentation within English housing estates and deprived neighbourhoods, focusing on the way in which social fragmentation interacted with community cohesion, community safety, and neighbourhood policing.
Source: Social Fragmentation in English Housing Estates, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jan
A report said that it was time to invest in a new generation of first-class council housing, and to put council housing back at the heart of housing provision. A major building and renovation programme would meet the urgent need of the 1.8 million households on council waiting lists, who did not want to or could not get a mortgage.
Source: Council Housing: Time to Invest, House of Commons Council Housing Group c/o Austin Mitchell MP (0207 219 4559) and Defend Council Housing
Links: Report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2006-Jan
Over 440,000 affordable homes were sold off under the government's 'right to buy' programme between 1999 and 2007 – while 205,123 new homes were built during the same period. The overall number of social homes – both council and housing association properties – fell from 4.3 million homes in 1999 to 3.99 million in 2007.
Source: Press release 26 November 2008, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: NHF press release
Date: 2006-Jan
A study examined key trends in the supply and distribution of social housing lettings. It investigated the extent to which the outcomes of lettings processes were compounding the 'residualization' of social housing and the ethnic segregation of neighbourhoods.
Source: Hal Pawson and David Watkins, Analysing Key Trends in the Supply and Distribution of Social Housing Lettings, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan
A report sought to quantify the range of added value that housing associations generated. For every 5 rented homes provided with grant, 1 was provided without grant; for homes for ownership, for every 11 provided with grant, the sector provided 1 additional home.
Source: ECOTEC, Assessing Added Value, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan
A collection of essays examined the strengths of the social housing sector and the key challenges that it faced.
Source: The Future of Social Housing, Shelter (020 7505 4699)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jan
An article examined why the policy of housing stock transfers had been susceptible to difficulties, based on the experience in Glasgow (Scotland).
Source: Ade Kearns and Louise Lawson, 'Housing stock transfer in Glasgow – the first five years: a study of policy implementation', Housing Studies, Volume 23 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan
A report examined the extent to which actual rents in housing association properties had moved towards target rents between March 2004 and March 2005. The gap between the actual rent and target rent had closed from 2.87 in 2004 (target 4.9 per cent higher than actual rent) to 2.32 in 2005 (target 3.7 per cent higher than actual rent).
Source: Wendy Solomou, Housing Associations and Movement to Target Rents, 2004 to 2005, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan
