Housing associations have pulled out all the stops to meet government targets, having upgraded three times as many properties to a decent homes standard than was expected. Some 60,000 affordable homes achieved the decent mark last year, a figure well over the target of 20,000 homes.
Housing associations are on course to meet the 2010 deadline to upgrade all stock to the decent standard. The Housing Corporation made clear, however, that in exceptional circumstances it may be willing to grant a limited waiver where housing associations are delivering a major estate renewal.
Information on the circumstances under which the Decent Homes Standard deadline may be extended is available at www.communities.gov.uk.
Audit Commission local authority inspection reports released during October 2006 included the following:
Ascham Homes (Waltham Forest London Borough Council ALMO):
Two-star good service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
Coventry City Council (Strategic Housing Services):
One-star fair service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
Durham County Council (Supporting People):
Two-star good service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Harlow District Council (Strategic Housing Services):
One-star fair service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Kensington & Chelsea TMO (Kensington & Chelsea ALMO):
Three-star excellent service with excellent prospects for improvement.
Medway Council (Supporting People):
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Melton Borough Council (Landlord Services):
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Mendip Council (Landlord Services):
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
People 1st (Slough) (Slough Borough Council ALMO):
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Slough Borough Council (Supporting People):
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Sutton Council (Supporting People):
Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council (Supporting People):
Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
Audit Commission housing association inspection reports released during October 2006 included the following:
Novas-Ouvertures Group:
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Peabody Trust:
One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
Communities Scotland, in its role as the housing regulator, awarded the following:
Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership (DGHP):
C grade or fair rating for housing management and for property management. DGHP was registered with Communities Scotland in April 2003 when it acquired 11,887 properties from Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA):
C grade or fair for housing management and for property management. SBHA was registered with Communities Scotland in March 2003 when it acquired 6,730 properties from Scottish Borders Council.
West Lothian Council:
A grade or excellent rating for its housing management and property maintenance and C grade or fair rating for its homelessness services.
The Building and Social Housing Foundation announced the two winners of this year's World Habitat Awards for innovative and sustainable housing solutions as:
The World Habitat Awards were initiated in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation as part of its contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Two awards are given annually to projects that provide practical and innovative solutions to current housing needs and problems throughout the world, in countries of the global South as well as the North.
The work of the JHC involves the adaptive re-use of empty city-centre buildings to deliver mixed-tenure, affordable rental housing whilst acting as a trigger for the regeneration of the surrounding area.
The BACIP works with local communities in Pakistan to develop, manufacture, and deliver a range of affordable environmentally and regionally appropriate home improvement products. Over 60 different products have been tested and applied to date, benefiting nearly 70,000 people in over 8,000 homes across 125 villages in the Northern Areas and Chitral regions.