This interview is part of our three-part piece on Women in Housing. You can find the background information to these interviews in our ‘Women in
Category: Practice
Interview with Jenny Danson
This interview is part of our three-part piece on Women in Housing. You can find the background information to these interviews in our ‘Women in
Interview with Aileen Evans
This is part of our WISH series of innovative women in housing. This interview features Aileen Evans, CEO of Grand Union Housing, who gives us
‘If you don’t like it, just leave’ – Social Housing’s ‘Competition Fallacy’ and Tenant Engagement Red Flags
A while ago, in August of last year to be precise, I read the article ‘Out of Our League‘ by Alistair McIntosh, CEO of HQN.
Data Quality is not optional, but it shouldn’t be hard work either
Matt Jollands has worked in and around social housing for the best part of a decade, and through discussion with peers, observations of the industry and current discussions sector wide he believes that there is an issue with data in UK social housing.
Housing Associations love to talk about being ‘data driven’, but if we’re honest, in most circumstances the data that drives decisions, allows performance management and benchmarking, and ultimately could help to improve the service that tenants receive is patchy at best, and unusable at worst.
In this article Matt explores the sector’s challenges with data, and urges it to really, really, acknowledge its importance and potential.
Opinion: Dampen your Mould – The dire state of housing in the UK
The dire state of housing and the poor conditions in which many private rented sector, council and social housing tenants are living has been brought to the forefront yet again in recent weeks.
Good, because this needs to be addressed. SHM’s Dr Gaby Wolferink writes about her views and experiences and thinks about how sensor technology can and should be used to build better housing, fit for the 21st century, for everyone, not just those who can afford it.
Homelessness and Covid-19. Utilising empty homes.
Local authorities have a duty under the Housing Act (Wales) 2014 to prevent homelessness and provide support for people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
In 2015, homelessness legislation introduced new duties and powers for local authorities to prevent homelessness for anyone at risk within 56 days.
Amy McMurray explores the possibility of utilising empty home to alleviate homelessness challenges.
Rapid responsive action to Covid and the need for a forward looking and long-term response.
The COVID-19 global pandemic has prompted rapid responsive action from both the UK government and the devolved nations across the United Kingdom. The national lockdown and the subsequent regional lockdowns that have occurred since March 2020 have placed restrictions and conditions on all citizens that has required people to stay home, however, this has only highlighted the urgent need for people to live in safe and suitable accommodation, write Emma Parcell
2021: A Home Odyssey
In this article Dr Gaby Wolferink looks back to 2020 and what she feels should be the key lessons to be brought into 2021 and beyond.
It ended up a story of privilege and a call to action for tech providers, architects and social housing providers to start building homes fit to harbour someone in a pandemic, in safety, instead of being yet another concern.
Tough decisions: juggling strategic choices
Ellen Damlica is an Associate at Penningtons Manches Cooper and specialises in social housing governmance.
This article is intended to facilitate discussion around key decisions that need to be made after 2020 and going into 2021 at Board and executive level, and to assist in identifying which matters are the ’glass balls’ and which are the ’plastic balls’.
Duo-living: A different approach to the housing crisis from the Netherlands
Stichting Statiegeld op Jeugd is a Dutch initiative that is seeking to combat the housing crisis in the Netherlands. They do so by proposing a housing ‘format’ where existing homes, mostly occupied by ’empty nesters’ are split up into two homes, allowing the older generation to stay in their own homes AND create more social housing out of existing properties!
Community-Led Approaches to Empty Homes in Wales
This article comes from final-year BSc Housing Students at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Amy McMurray, Anthony Morgans, and Emma Parcell.
On behalf of Tyfu Tai Cymru, a 5-year housing policy project, they researched the role of community-led solutions in addressing empty homes.
This article shares their most important findings.
Letter to my Landlord
Recently, things have become just a bit too much. The pandemic, changes to planning laws, evictions can go ahead again, and wishy washy statements about funding for retrofit of the existing housing stock and building more social housing.
An anonymous contributer decided to write a letter to their landlord, addressing issues that other private renting tenants might recognise.
My Covid Reality
By: Shirley Widdop @Psychologicsal First published on Covid Realities on 10 July 2020 The United Kingdom (UK) is the 5th richest nation on Earth. Fortunately,
Language Matters: It ain’t what you do it’s the way that you do it…
We use language every day, in everything we do. Whether it’s spoken, written, signed or even drawn. It’s how we communicate, and, as recipients get an idea of what people think of us. That’s why language matters in social housing.
Is your SHA (in) a Strip Club?
By: Dr Gaby Wolferink @drgabywolferink STRIP CLUBS? WHAT? ON A SOCIAL HOUSING WEBSITE? WHAT? WHY? Have I got your attention? I hope so! When I
A Letter in Lockdown: From My Home to Yours
By: Leigh Dunbar @Leigh_Dunbar Housing officers all over the country have gone from nipping in and out of tenant meetings and calling in at tenant’s
The Data Chainsaw Massacre: Digital Tools, not Solutions
By: Dr Gaby Wolferink @drgabywolferink The Tree Imagine I was moaning to someone about the massive tree in my back garden blocking out the summer
Covid-19 and Gas Safety Checks
By Chris Connor @ChiDeltaWithNOR Landlords have a duty of care to their tenants both in regard to making sure that gas pipework, flues and appliances
Quality Street – From sweets to reality
There’s people who love data, and people that just stare at it and wait for something magical to happen to make it interesting all of a sudden. That’s what Caroline Duvier has done here: make it interesting. She uses baking and sweets to talk about data and how you can consider data to be the ingredients of a wonderful cake called ‘happy residents’!
What does the ‘social’ in ‘social housing’ mean to Soha?
Co-written by staff and tenants of Soha Social housing is unique because it provides affordable secure homes for the huge number of people in our
Running and supporting Work Clubs – Time for a Re-Think
By Dr Gaby Wolferink @drgabywolferink Many housing associations and local councils support, fund and run a variety of community groups in their localities. Among those
The People Who Occupy the Margins
This is the first of our Anonymous contributions from a social housing professional working in the intensive housing management part of a large housing association. The author wants to bring to the forefront some challenges they are facing and hopes to start a recognition and discussion about what housing providers can do to prevent people from falling through the cracks.
Digital Exclusion: It really is ‘a thing’
By Dr Gaby Wolferink @drgabywolferink Everyone who knows me knows that in my daily life, apart from administrative and in my twitter handle I’m not