Housing associations
Housing associations are independent not-for-profit landlords. By working in partnership with local authorities and others they contribute to the success of communities by providing decent, affordable homes.About half of their funding for new homes comes from the public purse and the rest they raise privately. Housing associations are regulated by the Housing Corporation and inspected by the Audit Commission.
Housing associations provide:
- affordable rented homes
- shared ownership
- key worker housing - for rent and sale at lower than market prices
- good quality temporary homes - for people waiting for a permanent offer from their local authority
- specialist hostels - safer accommodation for rough sleepers, including young homeless people
- supported housing - for people in need of assistance or care, for example frail older people
- sheltered housing - offering services to those who need some extra help to live independently, for example people with learning disabilities.
Housing associations work with local authorities to meet local housing needs. Locally negotiated agreements set the proportion of rented homes that will go to people nominated by the local authority. In areas with high demand for affordable housing, and high levels of homelessness, authorities ask for a larger share of available homes.
Many people on low to moderate incomes rent their home through a housing association. Private rents are often pushed up as demand goes up. This makes it harder to achieve the healthy mix of housing types and economic activity that creates sustainable communities.
By building homes both for rent and sale, associations are developing mixed tenure and mixed income neighbourhoods - creating the sustainable communities of the future.
To view a list of housing associations operating in Brent visit the housing corporation website.