A study identified problems in the nominations process between local authorities and registered social landlords, and the knock-on effects on rehousing vulnerable households, including homeless people. Problems could arise where nominations were made by local authorities for rehousing people whose behaviour and/or lifestyle might pose problems for social landlords; or where social landlords' policies excluded households from their properties.
Source: David Cowan, Morag McDermont and Karen Morgan, Problematic Nominations, School of Law/University of Bristol (0117 954 5356)
Links: Report | Bristol University press release
Date: 2007-Dec
A report set out a new approach to involving social housing tenants in decision-making, performance monitoring, and service development – known as 'resident-led self-regulation'.
Source: Richard Warrington and Abigail Davies, Leading the Way: Achieving resident-driven accountability and excellence, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Report | CIH press release
Date: 2007-Dec
A Member of Parliament introduced a Bill designed to amend the law relating to long leaseholders; to confer further powers on leaseholders; to make provision in relation to leaseholders in local council-owned property and property owned by other social landlords; to confer powers on landlords to create sinking funds; and to make requirements of landlords relating to the management of property.
Source: Leasehold Reform Bill, Simon Hughes MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2007-Dec
The government announced a package of measures and extra investment aimed at making social housing in England 'fairer, more effective and more personal'. The plans would refocus social housing around the needs of tenants such as young families needing to move to larger homes, increase opportunities for elderly people to relocate closer to their families and grandchildren, and help tenants back into work. The plans included the launch of a 'major new crackdown' on cramped housing, aimed at helping those living in the most overcrowded households – along with a new national 'overcrowding action plan'. There would be a review of the housing revenue account subsidy system which would look at the need to plan for long-term management, maintenance, and repairs, and the links with rent policy.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statements 12 December 2007, columns 34-37WS, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Tackling Overcrowding in England: An action plan, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Hansard | Speech | Overcrowding plan | CIH press release | NHF press release | Shelter press release | CIPFA press release | Help the Aged press release | TUC press release | BBC report | New Start report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Dec
A report analysed patterns of council and housing association rents in Scotland in 2005-06, and set these in the context of the broader housing and labour markets in Scotland. Five alternative frameworks were set out for establishing a national rent policy in Scotland, striking a balance between national policy objectives and a continuing measure of autonomy for individual landlords.
Source: Steve Wilcox, Tony O'Sullivan and Gillian Young, Social Sector Rents in Scotland, Scottish Government (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Nov
The government published a Housing and Regeneration Bill, and the Bill was given a second reading. The aim of the Bill was to create the Homes and Communities Agency, which would support the delivery of social and affordable housing. This would allow the government to implement its pledge of 3 million new homes by 2020 as stated in the housing Green Paper. The Bill would also reform social housing and social housing regulation to promote better services for tenants. It would also provide the opportunity to modernize powers on establishing new settlements like eco-towns.
Source: Housing and Regeneration Bill, Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 27 November 2007, columns 145-252, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | HOC research brief | Hansard (second reading) | DCLG press release | LGA press release | NHF press release | Housing Corporation press release | English Partnerships press release | CIH press release | Shelter press release | DCH press release | CPRE press release | TUC press release | Countryside Alliance press release | Liberal Democrats press release | BBC report | Telegraph report | Community Care report
Date: 2007-Nov
A report examined the level of information which registered social landlords and local authorities in Scotland provided to their tenants, and to other people who had an interest in their services. There were examples of positive practice across the social housing sector, with the best results coming from organizations that had consulted users about what information they wanted. Consultation rather than legislation seemed to be the key to genuine openness and accessibility.
Source: Open and Accessible? A thematic study into how social landlords share information about performance and governance, Communities Scotland/Scottish Executive (0131 313 0044)
Links: Report | Research report | Communities Scotland press release
Date: 2007-Nov
The Scottish Government began consultation on proposals designed to increase housing supply and choice in Scotland. Local authorities, developers, and builders would be challenged to increase the rate of new housing supply to at least 35,000 per year by the middle of the following decade. The 'right to buy' would be ended in respect of new social housing built by councils and housing associations.
Source: Firm Foundations: The future of housing in Scotland – A discussion document, Scottish Government, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Consultation document | SG press release | CML press release | BBC report | Telegraph report
Date: 2007-Oct
The Housing Corporation published its strategy for promoting community cohesion.
Source: Shared Places: Community cohesion strategy, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2007-Oct
The government announced that a new social housing watchdog in England (to be called the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords) would be established as an independent, stand-alone body. The new body would replace the role previously played by the Housing Corporation.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 15 October 2007, columns 47-48WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | DCLG press release | Housing Corporation press release | Audit Commission press release | NHF press release | CML press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Oct
The government published its 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review. There would be a £6.5 billion investment over 3 years in new social housing to deliver 45,000 new social homes per year by 2010-11, a 50 per cent increase compared with 2007-08, with a goal of reaching 50,000 per year during the next spending review period.
Source: Meeting the Aspirations of the British People: 2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review, Cm 7227, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Summary | Hansard (1) | Hansard (2) | HMT press releases | DCLG press release | NHF press release | Shelter press release | CIH press release
Date: 2007-Oct
A report set out the role of housing associations in meeting government targets for increasing the supply of housing and building sustainable neighbourhoods.
Source: Building Neighbourhoods: A solution for sustainable investment in new and existing communities, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Sep
A report said that unless something radical was done about housing supply, the housing market would continue to be 'distorted and dysfunctional': house prices would rise by more than 40 per cent across England by 2012. It called on the government to help fund a social housing programme averaging 70,000 new homes per year over the period 2008-2011 (a 75 per cent increase in annual supply).
Source: Home Truths: The case for 70,000 new social homes a year, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: Report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Aug
A report said that more than three-quarters (79 per cent) of housing associations were actively making use of legal powers for tackling more serious anti-social behaviour incidents.
Source: Hal Pawson, Emma Davidson and Nicole Lederle, Housing Associations? Use of Anti-social Behaviour Powers, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Aug
Researchers examined the extent to which disabled people were victims of harassment and anti-social behaviour and the effectiveness of strategies by social landlords to address this; and, the extent to which a person's impairment or associated behaviour was being interpreted as constituting anti-social behaviour. Despite weaknesses in the published studies, there was extensive evidence to show very high rates of susceptibility by disabled people, particularly those with mental health disabilities, to becoming a victim of anti-social behaviour, often as a result of their impairment.
Source: Caroline Hunter, Nick Hodge, Judy Nixon, Sadie Parr and Ben Willis, Disabled People?s Experiences of Antisocial Behaviour and Harassment in Social Housing: A critical review, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Date: 2007-Aug
The Housing Corporation published its strategy for vulnerable people. It pledged to earmark one-tenth of its affordable housing budget for supported housing.
Source: Investing in Independence: Housing for vulnerable people strategy, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Strategy | Housing Corporation press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Aug
An article provided a comprehensive framework for understanding how to promote tenant participation in the planning and provision of social housing.
Source: Richard Simmons and Johnston Birchall, 'Tenant participation and social housing in the UK: applying a theoretical model', Housing Studies, Volume 22 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Jul
An article examined Muslims? perceptions of the social housing services provided to them, and the extent to which these met their religious needs and aspirations.
Source: David Cheesman, 'The margins of public space – Muslims and social housing in England', People, Place & Policy, Volume 1 Issue 1
Links: Article
Date: 2007-Jul
An article summarized some of the different perspectives that had been brought to bear in recent academic and policy debate about the future of social housing. It identified four main approaches, described as 'market idealist', 'revisionist', 'preservationist', and 'reformist'.
Source: Ian Cole, 'What future for social housing in England?', People, Place & Policy, Volume 1 Issue 1
Links: Article
Date: 2007-Jul
A report examined progress by housing associations towards the decent home standard. Stock transfer associations tended to make faster progress towards the targets than 'traditional' associations.
Source: Decent Home Standard, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2007-Jul
A report examined the role of housing associations in neighbourhood governance. It called on housing associations to work much more closely with local authorities to give their residents a voice in local communities. In many areas, housing associations and local authorities were the richest and strongest institutions: but they often failed to communicate with one another, let alone collaborate.
Source: Nicola Bacon, Liz Bartlett and Anne Marie Brady, Good Neighbours: Housing associations? involvement in neighbourhood governance, Young Foundation (020 8980 6263)
Links: Report | Young Foundation press release
Date: 2007-Jul
A collection of essays examined the key issues surrounding social housing. One big policy challenge was how to ensure an improvement in the quantity and quality of social housing without harming the livelihoods of those already in tenure.
Source: Andrew Foster (ed.), Social Housing: Breaking New Ground, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jul
The government announced that it planned to introduce a Housing and Regeneration Bill. The Bill would be designed to merge the Housing Corporation (responsible for distributing funds to housing associations to build new social housing) and English Partnerships (responsible for planning housing projects in new growth areas). It would also implement the recommendations of the Cave Review of social housing regulation.
Source: The Governance of Britain: The Government?s Draft Legislative Programme, Cm 7175, Leader of the House of Commons, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statement | Hansard | BPF press release | Guardian report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Jul
A paper said that a successful housing policy for Scotland should ensure not only that there were sufficient affordable homes for people, but also that poorer households were not segregated into areas of increasing deprivation.
Source: Nick Fletcher, The Future of the Social Housing Sector in Scotland in Delivering Successful, Mixed Communities, Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland (0131 225 4544)
Links: Paper | CIH press release
Date: 2007-Jul
A report examined the increasing role of housing associations as agents of low-cost home ownership. Home-ownership schemes had a positive impact on housing associations? business plans – adding to the balance sheet and to borrowing capacity, and improving cash flow. This had increased their capability to cross-subsidize, to pursue a policy of mixed-tenure development, and to provide rented housing.
Source: Stephen Hills and Angela Lomax, Whose House Is It Anyway? Housing associations and home ownership, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jul
A study examined how the community interest company model might be used in the housing sector.
Source: Robert Coffey, Judith Smyth and Max Hogg, Using the Community Interest Company Model in the Housing Sector: A marriage in the making?, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Jun
A survey of local authority housing managers highlighted the barriers to councils fulfilling their strategic housing role. These included a lack of resources, and difficulties in recruiting and retaining suitable staff. The supply of affordable homes was the top housing priority facing councils.
Source: Press release 14 June 2007, Improvement and Development Agency (020 7296 6693)
Links: IDeA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Jun
A Member of Parliament introduced a Bill designed to promote the improvement of all council homes and estates; provide for the building of new council housing; promote equal financial treatment between local authorities and registered social landlords in the provision of affordable housing; and reserve certain rents and capital receipts for direct investment in council housing.
Source: Council Housing (Direct Investment) Bill, David Taylor MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | DCH press release
Date: 2007-Jun
The government began consultation on the role of Communities England, a new housing and regeneration body combining (from April 2009) the work of English Partnerships, the Housing Corporation, and the delivery work of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Source: Delivering Housing and Regeneration: Communities England and the future of social housing regulation, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Consultation document | DCLG press release | Inside Housing report | Regeneration & Renewal report
Date: 2007-Jun
The report was published of an independent review of social housing regulation. It proposed that regulation of housing associations and investment in new social housing should be separated; that the regulator should be independent of government, but subject to strategic directions on rent levels and standards; that the regulator's objective should be to empower and protect tenants; and that there should be less regulation for housing associations which performed well. The government published its initial response, accepting the main recommendations.
Source: Martin Cave, Every Tenant Matters: A review of social housing regulation, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236) | Delivering Housing and Regeneration: Communities England and the future of social housing regulation, Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: Report | Summary | Response | DCLG press release | Audit Commission press release | CIH press release | LGA press release | London Councils press release | NCC press release | Guardian report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Jun
A briefing paper said that some official figures seemed to indicate that the experience of racist incidents and victimization in housing services was decreasing: but reported levels of incidents were only the 'tip of the iceberg', and there had been documented increases in incidents after major international terrorist attacks. In order to support victims effectively, social landlords had to ensure that they understood the victim's perspective. Social landlords had at their disposal a range of codes of practice, good practice guidelines, and resources to help them respond to racist incidents, encourage reporting, and support and work with victims.
Source: Kusminder Chahal, Racist Harassment and Housing Services, Race Equality Foundation (020 7619 6220)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2007-Jun
A report examined the level of disposals by housing associations. There was little correlation between associations with tight financial positions and those selling rented units outside the sector.
Source: Disposals, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-May
A briefing paper examined how housing associations could develop self-regulation regimes based on their residents? views and priorities (resident-led self-regulation) by building on the sector?s existing resident involvement activities.
Source: Stephen Hills and Abigail Davies, Resident-led Self-regulation: Potential and prospects, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Briefing
Date: 2007-Apr
A report described progress on the Housing Corporation's strategy for rural housing, launched in 2001. More than 50 per cent of local authorities with the highest ratio of house prices to incomes were in rural areas. Only 11 per cent of homes in rural areas were rented social housing, compared to 21 per cent in urban settlements.
Source: Communities and the Countryside: Rural Housing Strategy, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Apr
A report provided a detailed overview of the changing roles and patterns of the social housing sector. It considered a range of possible reforms, including whether social housing should be for long-term periods or just for transitional phases in the lives of those who needed it most; whether a more flexible approach was needed; and whether long-term tenants should benefit from a share of the increased value of their homes.
Source: Duncan Maclennan, Better Futures for Social Housing in England, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | Summary | JRF press release
Date: 2007-Mar
A study found that housing association tenants were generally happy with their accommodation, and were less likely to aspire to home-ownership than people living in other tenures.
Source: Jim Bennett and James Murray, Aspirations to Ownership: Housing association tenants' attitudes to tenure, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Mar
A report examined the role of housing associations in the development and maintenance of social housing stock, by charting the changes in stock levels from 1989 to 2005 - including the impact of properties transferring from council ownership, and the knock-on effect of transfers, on the rise of availability of social housing.
Source: It All Adds Up: Changes in the provision of housing association stock 1989-2005, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2007-Mar
A report examined the impact of rising fuel prices on fuel poverty in the social housing sector in England. Social housing tenants experienced the largest proportionate increases in fuel poverty with rising fuel prices, because their household incomes were lowest. Conversely they also experienced the largest proportionate decreases in fuel poverty after energy improvements.
Source: The Impact of Rising Fuel Prices in the Managed Housing Sector, Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes c/o Energy Saving Trust (020 7222 0101)
Links: Report | EEPH press release
Date: 2007-Mar
An article examined the future role of social rented housing in England. There were fundamental tensions underlying the government's policy objectives to maintain the 'safety net' role of social housing but at the same time widen access to the sector so that it became a more mixed 'tenure of choice'. In higher-demand regions, such as London and the south, it remained very difficult to see how the social sector could widen its role from that of safety net for the most disadvantaged.
Source: Suzanne Fitzpatrick and Hal Pawson, 'Welfare safety net or tenure of choice? The dilemma facing social housing policy in England', Housing Studies, Volume 22 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2007-Mar
Researchers examined the experiences and perceptions of individuals applying for social housing in Scotland, in relation to their understanding of allocation procedures. There was a general lack of understanding about how allocation systems operated. There was confusion about how properties were allocated and to whom, regardless of which allocation system was in operation in the respondent's area.
Source: Anna Dudleston and Judith Harkins, Improving Access and Maximising Choice: The applicant's perspective of allocation schemes, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Date: 2007-Mar
A report examined the extent to which stock rationalization within the housing association sector would produce improvements in operational efficiency, service delivery, community engagement, and neighbourhood regeneration.
Source: Sarah Webb, The Rationalisation of Housing Association Stock, Chartered Institute of Housing (024 7685 1700)
Links: Report | Summary | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2007-Mar
A report provided a synthesis of data and statistics on the social rented sector, and an overview of who lived in social housing in England. It used evidence on flows and attributes to predict patterns of the likely future demand for social housing.
Source: Sarah Monk et al., The Demand for Social Rented Housing, Cambridge Housing and Planning Research/University of Cambridge (landecon-cchpr-admin@lists.cam.ac.uk)
Date: 2007-Feb
A government-commissioned report said that steps should be taken to achieve a better income mix in areas of England dominated by the social housing sector. Local councils and housing associations should provide homes in areas where there were higher earners, and spare land on council estates should be used to build private homes. But ending security of tenure for council house tenants would be 'very unhelpful', and tenants should instead be given incentives to move on. Social housing tenants could benefit from greater choice over renting and ownership options.
Source: John Hills, Ends and Means: The future roles of social housing in England, CASEreport 34, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Report | LSE press release | CRC press release | Housing Justice press release | Guardian report | BBC report | FT report | Regeneration & Renewal report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2007-Feb
A report said that unlocking a potential £7 billion of additional debt capacity from housing associations was key to meeting future affordable housing needs of between 40,000 and 50,000 new affordable homes for rent every year.
Source: Unlocking the Door: Delivering more affordable homes from the comprehensive spending review 2007, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report | Housing Corporation press release | NHF press release
Date: 2007-Feb
A review examined the uptake by social landlords of legislative powers to tackle anti-social behaviour. In general, social landlords were using the powers available to them. Possession was the most widely used power, having been used by 77 per cent of housing providers in the 12 months up to April 2006.
Source: Priority Review of the Uptake by Social Landlords of Legislative Powers to Tackle Anti-social Behaviour, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-Jan
A report said that social housing landlords were reaping the benefits of improved access by tenants to financial services. Financial inclusion work had directly contributed to cutting rent arrears, reducing evictions and tenant turnover, and helping to produce settled and sustainable communities.
Source: Bob Paterson, Bill Randall and Karl Dayson, Community Access to Money: Social Housing Landlords Reaping the Benefits, Community Finance Solutions/University of Salford (j.e.powell@salford.ac.uk)
Links: Report | University of Salford press release | Housing Corporation press release
Date: 2007-Jan
