This guide identifies the key legal, procedural and practical processes to implement a programme to rebalance communities at the level, either of a single estate, or across a whole borough.

Rebalancing communities is one way of tackling the social and economic imbalance that occurs when the residents on a housing estate are drawn from a limited range of types of household and a very limited socio-economic base.

The guide provides senior policymakers and practitioners with:

A previous study undertaken in 2003 identified a higher proportion than expected of social landlords taking practical action to introduce owner-occupation into new and existing estates.

This guide is based on the findings of successful initiatives and is a follow-up to the previous study published in 2003 called “Rebalancing communities: introducing mixed incomes into existing rented housing estates” by Graham Martin and Judi Watkinson.

Not given

Rebalancing estates through a ‘Sell to improve’ programme can significantly enhance the quality of life on target estates, and release capital and revenue resources for the landlord to apply in improved service delivery and investment on the estate or elsewhere.

The benefits of the process are shared between existing residents, new tenants and in-moving homeowners, the landlord and the wider community. One social landlord that has fully modelled its ‘rebalancing’ intentions into its business plan found its long-term finances were projected to improve significantly.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Phone: +44 1904 629241
info@jrf.org.uk

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28/02/2007

Graham Martin and Judi Watkinson

research

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing policy

Social mix