In April 2002 we were reporting:
Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, announced the nine areas that will establish pathfinder projects to provide lasting solutions for communities blighted by derelict homes. The size of the areas to be covered range from 40,000 to 120,000 properties. Each of the areas typically suffer from boarded up dwellings and abandoned homes, which has led to a spiral of decline and misery for thousands of local residents...
Tough new measures to clamp down on abandoned cars came into force, including powers to remove vehicles abandoned on the street, anywhere in England, after 24 hours instead of the previous seven days...
Figures released by Shelter show that homelessness and housing problems are disproportionately common amongst ethnic minorities. In 2001, 63% of African and Caribbean callers to Shelterline were experiencing homelessness, compared to 52% of white callers. Twice as many Asian callers experienced poor quality housing compared to white callers...
The Government launched a three-month consultation exercise outlining radical proposals for new powers for social landlords to crack down on anti-social behaviour. Tackling Anti-Social Tenants cites eviction, prevention and rehabilitation as fundamental to putting a stop to offensive and destructive behaviour...
The Bank of Good Practice, which was set up by the Housing Corporation as part of its new regulation programme, went live on 10 April. The Internet-based service, accessible via the Corporation's website at www.housingcorp.gov.uk, corrals some essential guides and good practice notes - all designed to help registered RSLs comply with the new regulatory code...
The ballot of 94,000 Birmingham Council tenants resulted in rejection of proposals to transfer the Council's homes to alternative landlords. The proposal was rejected by 66.8% of tenants voting on a turnout of 65.5%...
In the largest tenant ballot in Scotland, 58% of tenants supported the proposal to transfer Glasgow Council's 88,000 homes to Glasgow Housing Association. With 50,000 tenants voting, the turnout was 64.4%. The Association will operate a devolved housing management service through a network of 62 Local Housing Organisations (LHOs)...
In April 2006 we were reporting:
In response to the Welfare Reform green paper, strong views were expressed about the right of claimants to opt for payments to be made directly to them when the Local Housing Allowance is introduced. Citizens Advice, for example, expressed its concerns to the DWP about plans to let local government officers decide which tenants are too vulnerable to receive the benefit direct. The response pointed to the experience of the pathfinder areas, where the Local Housing Allowance vulnerability procedures had not prevented some problems from arising...
Shelter launched an innovative new website aimed at promoting good practice among housing professionals. The website will be available to housing experts, including advice agencies, local authorities, environmental health officers and those who help house young people, prisoners and students. They will be able to take part in discussion forums, get advice, access a range of professional materials such as leaflets and briefings and exchange ideas and good practice...
First works were about to start on sites as part of the Design for Manufacture competition - the challenge to construct a good quality home for £60,000. This follows planning approval and the signing of legal agreements for two competition sites. The agreements mean that, since the competition was launched by the Deputy Prime Minister last April, more than 300 homes have been designed and received planning permission, with development work now starting on site. Almost 700 homes will also be created across another eight competition sites...
European housing and regeneration experts paid a special visit to Brighton & Hove's first £3.5 million Extra Care development. Delegates from Sweden, Spain, Italy and Hungary toured the scheme, which promotes independent and improved housing for older people across Europe. The delegates were impressed with the design, accessibility, communal space and level of community involvement shown at the New Larchwood development...
Funding worth £2 million will support Scottish projects that bring together health, housing and social work professionals with the aim of targeting help for troubled families to 'break the cycle' of antisocial behaviour. The project aims to provide intensive supervision and intervention for individuals and families involved in antisocial behaviour. As well as bringing together services, families referred to the projects will be set strict targets for behavioural improvements and be subject to sanctions if the targets are not achieved...
It emerged that a tough new set of building standards to be introduced by the Housing Corporation could require housing associations to re-evaluate the energy efficiency of their dwellings. The Ecohomes XB standard, to be launched in May, has been drawn up by the Building Research Establishment. It is part of the Corporation's efforts to meet the Government's targets on environmental sustainability and will apply to homes that have already been brought up to the decent homes standard by housing associations...
The Housing Corporation launched a three-month consultation on its proposals to tackle homelessness, with a key focus on improving joint working and more use of preventative measures. The consultation paper suggests how housing associations might work with the Corporation and local authorities to respond to some key challenges, including reducing the numbers of households placed in temporary accommodation and improving access to affordable housing for rent...
The Government announced it will examine proposals for a change in Council Tax law for Britain's 328,000 second-home owners. A change in the categorisation of Council Tax charges could see second homes being taxed at a higher rate than first homes. The idea is designed to curb rising house prices and a shortage in affordable housing in rural areas. It is being considered by the Affordable Rural Housing Commission, which will report next month...
The Government launched its ten-week consultation on a new Respect Standard for Housing Management. The Standard aims to encapsulate the core components of an effective response to tackling antisocial behaviour and delivering respect, as well as building on the achievements of some housing managers, who are leading the way in dealing with antisocial behaviour. The Government's proposals will encourage social landlords to sign up to the Standard - thus signalling their commitment to help create, sustain and improve places where people feel bound together by shared values and where antisocial behaviour and disrespect for people and local environments are not tolerated...
A review of the institutional structure for delivery of the Government's housing and regeneration programmes was announced. The review will consider the best way of organising national delivery mechanisms to maximise the use of private investment, public subsidy and land holdings, and assets funded by past public investment, to support the delivery of new homes, the improvement of existing homes, and the creation of mixed, sustainable communities. The review was called for by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, and Local Government and Communities Minister David Miliband. It will draw on advice from an expert panel, including the Chairs and Chief Executives of English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation, representatives of local government, lenders, and other external members with relevant expertise...
A working group representing the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) was set up to steer a project that will see a new set of qualifications introduced next year. The certificates, being drawn up jointly by the CIH and the CIOB, will help administration and call centre staff working for social landlords to train for technical and management roles. The qualifications will embrace customer care, technical skills and information technology training...
According to new research, retirement villages - a relatively new development in the UK - are proving popular with older people as places to live. Attracted by having your own front door in homes especially designed for later life, and with on-site care and support available day and night, older people have more opportunities to make friends and lead an active life. The research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation also found evidence that retirement villages were good news for local communities, helping health and social care providers to deliver health and community services more efficiently...
A new era for the Tenant Empowerment Programme (TEP) started on 6 April with the Housing Corporation becoming responsible for the day-to-day management of the programme, which allows council housing tenants to have a greater say in how their homes are managed. Under the programme (previously known as Section 16), tenants' groups can bid for grant funding. Grant is available, for example, to enable council tenants to work with an agency to explore issues of concern to tenants and options for involvement in the management of their own homes and estates...