Social housing investment in
communities: Housing Plus
The NIHE Perspective
John McPeake
Chief Executive, NIHE
Overview
• What is Housing Plus?
• Why is HP important?
– Housing Plus in the context of the Social Housing
Reform Programme
– The need for Housing Plus
• Some local examples
– NIHE
– Housing Associations
• Housing Plus – some questions to think about
• Conclusions
What is “Housing Plus?”
• HP is about improving estate facilities & addressing
economic / social problems faced by residents
• Common themes:
–
–
–
–
provision of non-housing infrastructure
community development & community services
environmental improvement & regeneration
skills, training and employment related services
• Most schemes are about more than bricks and mortar
• The best are about improving quality of life / life chances
– it is the impact of services rather than infrastructure that matters
• But
– many landlords did this sort of work before it was branded HP
– many see it is integral to their offering; not a bolt on
Housing Plus in the Context of the Social
Housing Reform Programme
• SHRP signals radical change, including
– a new Regional Housing Body
– new landlord off the public balance sheet structure(s) which have
greater freedoms than public bodies
• Rationale for new landlord structures
– access to private money for investment
– ability to be more than just a landlord
• With new landlord structures
– more can be done to transform life chances / generate
employment etc.
– as consequence, landlord’s job easier (improved rent collection;
reduced arrears; reduced repair requests)
– the move to Universal Credit may create new HP opportunities
The need for “Housing Plus”
• Successive studies over 40 year period identify the same
broad areas of multiple deprivation
– principally NIHE housing estates
• NIHE stock is highly residualised (and segregated)
– high levels of economic inactivity & benefit dependency
– low income
– intergenerational poverty
• The longevity of this pattern indicates traditional
approaches are not sufficient
– housing Plus gives us a possible way out of the pattern
– it should be a big selling point under the SHRP agenda
NIHE Example of Housing Plus
Strathroy Enterprise Units, Omagh
• Partnership project with local community & LA
• Conversion of former DLO depot into business units, to
be managed by Strathroy Community Enterprises
–
–
–
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7 units for local start-ups; targeting unemployment
facilitate regeneration through participation and involvement
stimulate and encourage investment
provide opportunities for the unemployed and economically
marginalised
– Re-establish civic pride in the locality
• The important issues are
– the employment & services facilitated
– the spin off benefits
Transformation of a
derelict former DLO
depot from this …
… and this …
… to this
7 new units providing 3,500 sq feet
of floor space. Opened in 2002.
Units have been continuously
occupied since, no small
achievement in a challenging
economic environment
57 employees; Annual profits
£17K which is disbursed
amongst other community
service providers.
Plan to add 4 new units;
business case in development.
NIHE Example of Housing Plus
Stewartstown Road Regeneration Project
Interface location characterised by
years of intercommunity distrust,
violence and confrontation.
Turnaround began 1997 with NIHE
economic appraisal in conjunction
with the 2 local communities.
SRRP estab. 1998 as jointly owned
company whose purpose was to bring
the two communities together through a
regeneration-based programme of new
community-owned and private sector
commercial developments.
NIHE Example of Housing Plus
Stewartstown Road Regeneration Project
This was LiDL’s 2nd store in
Ireland, but with a focus on
underserved markets the location
was perfect for them. The
construction phase included a
local labour clause and on
completion the shop employs 20
local people. The store is LiDL’s
busiest in NI.
The community facility includes
commercial and retail use on the
ground floor. These subsidise a
range of community services
delivered from the building. >90
people employed in the complex.
NIHE Examples
• It is NOT the infrastructure that is important in these two
examples
• Rather, the important issues are:
– the services facilitated by the infrastructure, and the direct and
indirect employment created
– the wider community benefits that stem from tenants / residents
feeling more positive about where they live
– the indirect benefits to the landlord (both schemes delivered
reduced relet times and reduced ASB)
• The real “trick” in HP is delivering such outcomes
without the need for large scale capital investment
Apex Group HA Example of Housing Plus
Background
• Apex
– Group structure HA
– Approx 4,000 dwellings; 570 staff
– Primary focus is housing support and care
• Range of HP initiatives
– some focused on sustaining tenancies (Affordable Credit project;
Debt advice)
– some on specific client groups (e.g. Getting on Well project;
Staying Connected project)
– some on wider community issues or infrastructure requirements
(Glen Community project)
• Specific example – Financial inclusion project in
Cornshell Field estate, Derry/Londonderry
Apex Group HA Example of Housing Plus
Cornshell Fields Financial Inclusion
• Information & advice
– Make your money go further
• Train the Trainer for Tenants
– Money information events
• Families
– Looking at money differently
• Young People
– Learning to help others & life skills
• Community Organisations & Representatives (to
enable them to deliver training in their
communities
Apex Group HA Example of Housing Plus
Cornshell Fields Financial Inclusion
• Practical support
– Tenant Debt Advice Service
• Housing Rights Service
– Basic Bank Accounts
• First Trust Bank
– Low Cost Loans
• Credit Union & Ulster Bank Supported by the
Consumer Council
– Pre-Owned Furniture Packages
• Foyle Hospice
Triangle HA Example of Housing Plus
Progression to Employment
• Triangle Housing Association
– 700 stock; strong focus on supported housing
• Progression to employment service (since 1998)
– focus on individuals whose ability precludes them
from more mainstream govt support programmes
– 301 participants; 150 different employers
– two strands
• Supported employment model
• Alternative Angles
Triangle HA’s
Alternative Angles Programme
Triangle HA’s
Alternative Angles Programme
• Social enterprise training and work placement
programme for disabled persons
– established 2006
– funded via ESF, DEL and local Health Trust, with Triangle
– participants have period of intensive support
• 10% are tenants of the HA; 90% wider community
– range of products and services provided during the training
period (e.g. candles, soap, electronic-conference badges)
• High level of success in job placement
– almost 100% of participants end up with temporary or permanent
paid work (typically <16hrs pw)
– HA continues to support participant in workplace
– evaluation results demonstrate positive impact on confidence,
motivation and skills
Housing Plus
• Some questions to think about
– Can HP simply remain a “bolt on” or does it need to be part of
the DNA?
– How much does HP cost and how will it be paid for?
– Is welfare reform a reason to “do” HP or not to “do” HP?
– What are the risks and are they worth it?
– What are the governance issues? How can they be addressed?
– Have associations and their boards got the right skills to deliver
HP?
– Can associations do it alone? How can they develop more
effective partnerships?
– Can the expectations be met? Are they realistic? Do tenants
expect too much already?
– Is there a conflict between being commercial and delivering HP?
Does HP make economic sense? Can it deliver VFM?
Conclusions
• In our context Housing Plus is VITAL, however:
– it is challenging; and
– It should not be embarked upon lightly
• But
– the rewards are potentially significant;
– especially when associations see HP as the way we do business
as opposed to something we also do
• Thus HP is likely to challenge Boards to:
– review their business models
– be prepared to take more risk
• This will also bring (not insurmountable) challenges to:
– the regulator
– the funders
• Remember Hunter S Thompson’s famous words
– “Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.”