EUKN - United Kingdom - Northern Lights – Housing Associations investing in neighbourhoods in the north

Northern Lights – Housing Associations investing in neighbourhoods in the north

Introduction

Housing Associations contribution to physical regeneration activities, housing management and supported housing activities are well known, this publication looks at housing association record in delivering community investment by assembling an evidence base for the period 2003 – 2008.

Description

During the period 2003 – 2008, housing associations have:

regenerated homes and communities,
created employment,
encouraged enterprise,
developed education and skills,
improved community safety,
created sustainable communities and enhanced health.

They have done this through:

assisting people with financial exclusion,
building community capacity through engagement projects,
providing child care facilities,
giving neighbourhood grants,
offering people opportunities to access community / cultural opportunities and facilities,
working with young people,
protecting dwellings through community safety initiatives and delivering training (to name a few).

Background information

The North has 13.4 million residents, so is significant in national policy terms. It contains 29% of England's housing, 35% of the country's social housing and 27% of housing association properties.

However, despite successful cities like Manchester and Leeds, it also has 74% of England's 200 most deprived places, but affordable housing resources comprising only 11% of the national total.

Government policy, targets and funding have focussed on:

work and enterprise,
crime,
education and skills,
health,
housing and the physical environment.

Conclusions

Key headlines include investment of £1.55 billion in the physical regeneration of homes, £133 million in non-housing assets such as community centres, schools, surgeries and shops, £369 million in people based projects to support employment, enterprise, education and skills, and an additional £20.7 million each year in staff costs to support regeneration and community investment activities.

Housing associations have therefore made a vital contribution to the economy, offered leadership to create sustainable communities and invested in employment, skills and enterprise.

Contact info

National Housing Federation
enquiries@housingcorp.gsx.gov.uk

Publication date

Project finished

20/08/2006

Researcher

Helen Cope

Links

Vistit the National Housing Federation website

Download the 'Northern Lights' Report (PDF, Eng, 2 MB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Security & crime prevention > Sense of insecurity

Keywords

Vulnerable groups