News from Research Centres (Updated)

Centre for Housing Policy, University of York

New staff

Carol McNaughton joined CHP on 1 October on a year's ESRC postdoctoral fellowship. She will be working in the area of homelessness and in particular helping to develop CHP's interest in new migrants and homelessness.

New projects:

An Evaluation of the Sanction of Housing Benefit: funder: Department for Work and Pensions
Led by Sheffield Hallam University, this research will monitor and explore the housing benefit sanction schemes in the 8 pilot areas, including assessing how the schemes are established and managed, the effectiveness of the schemes and the impact of the schemes on affected households and local communities.

Housing Costs, Employment Incentives and Benefits in London: funder: GLA, London Councils and the London Child Poverty Commission
An analysis of the impact of the higher housing costs in London on work incentives. Literature reviews, qualitative interviews, and formal analysis of the inter-relationships between rent levels and tax and benefit structures (and take up rates and delivery) will lead to reform proposals for improving work incentives in London.

Homelessness and Substance Misuse: evidence-based approaches to the provision of effective services: funder Scottish ExecutiveCHP will lead this project, supported by colleagues from York and Oxford Brookes. Its aim is to produce evidence to facilitate the development of outcome measures that can accurately assess service efficiency and effectiveness in the field of homelessness and substance misuse.

The Difference that Faith Makes: Faith-based organisations and the provision of services for homeless people: funder AHRC/ESRCThis project will examine the responses made to homelessness by Faith Based Organisations (particularly those with a non-Christian religious affiliation) and the ‘difference that faith makes’ to the nature and outcomes of welfare interventions for vulnerable people.

An Evaluation of the Glasgow Homeless Hostel Decommissioning Programme; funder Glasgow City CouncilGlasgow Homeless Partnership is funding this long-term (3-year) evaluation of the city's hostel decommissioning programme, which is now entering its final phase.

Newsletter - November 2007

NEWS

New on-line Journal.

A new on-line journal was launched People, Place and Policy Online provides a forum for debate about the situations and experiences of people and places struggling to negotiate a satisfactory accommodation with the various opportunities, constraints and risks within contemporary society. The journal will publish reflections on broad theoretical and methodological debates, as well as findings from empirical studies and policy analysis. In addition, the journal welcomes think pieces and debates between academics, policy-makers and practitioners. Professor David Robinson and Professor Peter Wells are the joint editors. Find out more about PPP Online and access previous and current issues at http://extra.shu.ac.uk/ppp-online/ To receive new issue alerts please e-mail ppp-online@shu.ac.uk.

Stepping up to the Mark: Building Societies responding to the Housing Affordability Crisis

The Building Societies Association has recently published a report based on research into the housing market and housing affordability issues. Key findings from the report include:

• Greater lending input into the development of government schemes to ensure that they reflect the needs of lenders and borrowers as well as government and other public sector organisations
• Reform of the section 106 planning system to ensure that such agreements don’t conflict with lender’s requirements
• Government needs to help identify ways in which first time buyers can be helped to save for a deposit

There are fundamental issues that need to be addressed by government around housing supply (not enough being built) and the cost of home purchase (taxation and fees) to resolve affordability issues.

Copies of the report can be obtained by contacting lynne.bartlett@bsa.org.uk

Forthcoming Events

The Housing Studies Association Annual Conference

Housing and Cohesion

University of York, 2nd, 3rd and 4th April 2008

Public policy has become increasingly convinced that differences within society are promoting division and undermining cohesion. A particular concern is the perceived segregation of certain groups into particular neighbourhoods, which is believed to be allowing the emergence of communal values at odds with the dominant moral order. Be the consequence persistently high levels of worklessness, anti-social behaviour and crime, social disorder or community conflict, housing policy and provision is repeatedly identified as both a cause and a solution. Meanwhile, the sense that towns and cities increasingly consist of socially cohesive but divided neighbourhoods is promoted by the residential choices of better-off households, as the wealthy retreat into gated communities and the information savvy turn to web-based neighbourhood information systems to seek out zones of sameness.

Plenary Speakers: Confirmed speakers include Professor Ted Cantle (IDeA), Dilwar Hussain (The Islamic Foundation), Dr Deborah Phillips (University of Leeds), Professor David Robinson (Sheffield Hallam University), Dr Peter Shirlow (University of Ulster) and Professor Ronald Van Kempen (Utrecht University, the Netherlands).

Early Career Housing Scholars Stream sponsored by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation: The Housing Studies Association is committed to supporting the development of academics and practitioners working in the field of housing studies. We very much welcome the attendance of PhD students and researchers in the early stages of their careers at our conferences and we are keen to learn more about their work.

At the 2008 Housing Studies Association Conference, we intend to organise workshops dedicated to the research of early career housing scholars, working in any area of housing studies. If you are a PhD student or an early career researcher who would welcome the opportunity to present your work to a supportive audience and to learn of the work of other scholars at a similar stage of their career, we would like to invite you to present a paper at our conference. Thanks to the very generous support of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation early career scholars giving papers will be offered a discounted conference rate.

If you wish to submit an abstract or to learn more about this conference stream, please e-mail John Flint at j.f.flint@shu.ac.uk

You can find more about the Housing Studies Association and the 2008 Conference by visiting the website at: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/

Key themes for the conference, which is being organised by John Flint, Paul Hickman and David Robinson at CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University, are:

• policy perspectives and agendas on cohesion and neighbourhoods - including the disputed and problematised nature of neighbourhoods and their populations and debates about the impact of housing processes on neighbourhood diversity and cohesion
• the key dynamics of neighbourhood diversity and cohesion - including the intersection of difference, housing processes and connections or disconnections within and between neighbourhoods
• emerging and neglected dimensions of disconnection - including new immigration, territoriality within neighbourhoods, the role of new technologies in constructing neighbourhood differences and the growth of gated communities

OFFERS OF PAPERS: Offers (title plus an abstract of 200 words) should be e-mailed to j.f.flint@shu.ac.uk and please note that we welcome papers that fall outside the conference themes. Offers should be submitted by 20 January 2008.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Further information about the conference, including more information about the Early Career Housing Scholars Stream and how to book a place, can be found at the HSA website: york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/conf2008.htm

Sustainability, Space and Social Justice: The UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference

Queen's University, Belfast, 18-20th March 2008

Call For Papers

Papers are invited for the UK-Ireland Planning Research Conference, providing an opportunity for leading national and international planning scholars to present and debate current issues in planning research in a multidisciplinary and supportive environment.

Although the conference includes tracks papers on all aspects of planning research, the event will has a special theme of Sustainability, Space and Social Justice. Each of these concepts presents a separate challenge for the field of planning, yet the ability to address them in an integrated and coherent way is central to the very concept of planning and is a challenge that runs deep in the history and ideology of the discipline. These important issues will provide a framework for the more general discussions on the future of planning practice and research at the conference and will particularly be addressed by the high profile speakers that will address the plenary sessions of the conference. Confirmed key note speakers include Dr. Julian Agyeman (Tufts University), Prof. Susan Owens (Cambridge University) and Frank McDonald (The Irish Times).

The Call for Papers is open until 15th December 2007 and contributions are invited under the following tracks:

1. Inclusion, diversity and social justice
2. Urban and rural regeneration
3. Governance, policy and spatial planning
4. Sustainable cities and the challenge of climate change
5. Planning, accessibility and transportation
6. Planning education and skills
7. Rural planning, the countryside and wildlife
8. Urban and rural design and the built heritage

Submitted papers will be peer reviewed by a panel of leading researchers in each of these fields.
The organisers are also keen to encourage proposals for themed sessions and these should be submitted no later than 30th November.

For further details, see http://www.qub.ac.uk/prc2008belfast/ or contact the organisers at prc2008@qub.ac.uk

The Human City Institute

The Human City Institute (HCi) is a Birmingham-based, independent and charitable research initiative founded in 1997 but now active again after a period of ‘hibernation’. After previous concentration on citizens’ ‘hearings’ and community development action research projects, HCI has gone back to its roots as a community-centred research agency exploring the dynamics of ‘human cities’ and promoting solutions to urban problems. HCi has developed a thematic research programme covering:

• Creating the Human City ~ encompassing the policy areas of housing, planning, urban regeneration, health and social care.
• Faith, Ethnicity and Social Exclusion ~ exploring the interrelationships between faith, ethnicity and social exclusion, cohesion, integration, and social capital.
• Social Investment, Enterprise and Innovation ~ quantifying how innovative social investment and enterprises impact on disadvantaged communities.
• Chronicling Human Neighbourhoods ~ recording and promoting innovative examples of human neighbourhood development and projects.
• Human City Index ~ capturing key data to compare the extent and nature of ‘human cities’ in England.

Two recent reports are:

‘Hills Cave and After: Renewing Social Housing’ by Alan Murie, Robert Pocock and Kevin Gulliver pp 81 (free download) ISBN 978-1-906149-04-8

This report discusses the future of social housing in England. It is a contribution to the debate begun by the Government-commissioned Hills and Cave Reviews in 2007. The report argues that the concerns behind the creation of a social housing sector historically have not gone away, while the private sector has not filled the gap left by reductions in social house building in recent decades. Within this context the report rails against arguments that we no longer need social housing or that social exclusion and concentrations of poverty can be tackled by reducing the security and rights of tenants. There is a positive future role for social housing built upon coalescing Government themes of recent times: quality, choice, regeneration and local democracy. Social housing’s future is inextricably bound up with that of neighbourhoods, the need to enhance the tenure’s appeal, and to take actions that enhance the real-life experience of tenants and their communities. The report puts forward a range of proposals that will enable social housing to play a continuing and important role in supporting ‘human’ cities.

‘The Unexpected Community: The Needs and Aspirations of Birmingham’s Somali Community’ by Adrian Jones pp 56 (free download) ISBN 978-1-906149-06-2

Somalis in Birmingham constitute a newly emergent community which has grown dramatically in size since 2000. Yet there is very little accurate information about this growing section of Birmingham’s citizenry, although some estimates put the size of the population as high as 40,000. This research report seeks to provide a more extensive evidence base about Birmingham’s Somali community, its housing, health and economic needs, and what sort of future the community aspires to. The report is built upon a review of existing literature about the Somali communities in the UK, information supplied by Birmingham City Council, interviews and focus groups with representatives of the Somali community in Birmingham, and interviews with service providers. The report shows that many Birmingham Somali households are living in overcrowded and poor housing conditions, often in the private rented sector, and suffer disproportionately from homelessness. The community is one of the most deprived of ‘recent arrivals’ and are concentrated in the poorest Birmingham neighbourhoods, and face exclusion from work, education and training opportunities, as well as some of the worst housing conditions.

Ongoing Projects

Current projects include:

• the future role of housing co-operatives with Centre for Urban & Regional Studies (University of Birmingham), Matrix, Hanover and the Smith Institute;
• creating greater asset equality between home ownership and social renting;
• the needs of the Vietnamese community with Trident Housing Association;
• the accommodation needs of people with mental health problems in Walsall;
• and two major faith and social exclusion mapping studies.

Contact Details:

The Human City Institute
239 Holliday Street Birmingham B1 1SJ
Tel: 01384 230849
Fax: 01384 252297
Email: hcinst@tiscali.co.uk
http://www.humancity.org.uk/

News from Research Centres

CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University

CRESR has recently been contracted by Leeds City Council and Wakefield District Council to carry out evaluations of the Leeds 'Signpost' FIP and Wakefield's Families First FIP respectively. The Government’s strategy to develop sustainable solutions to anti-social behaviour (ASB) is based on a ‘twin track’ approach involving legal sanctions to protect communities together with measures to address the underlying causes of offending behaviour. Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) provide intensive support to those families deemed to be the most 'challenging' and are at the cutting edge of the latter agenda. FIPs seek to provide families with specialist, intensive and long-term support tailored to their particular needs. Project workers engage in direct work with individual children, adults and the family group on specific issues with the aim of effecting positive change. As well as dealing with ASB, it is hoped that FIPs can contribute towards improving the life chances of those most in need and tackle the cycle of inter-generational disadvantage. The Signpost evaluation is due to completed by end of November 2007, while the Families First evaluation will be completed in March 2008. For further details please contact Sadie Parr, S.Parr@shu.ac.uk.

CRESR has recently been commissioned by four local authorities (Chesterfield, Bolsover, Bassetlaw, and North East Derbyshire) in the Northern Housing Market Area to conduct a study of the housing needs of young people. Using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the study aims to identify some of the housing needs and aspirations of young people between the ages of 18 and 30 across the four areas. The study shall discuss the range of issues facing young people at the initial stages of their housing careers and investigate what influence being young has on this cross-section's perceptions of and experiences in the housing market. A summary of the findings and some policy recommendations will be outlined in a final report in March 2008. For further information please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Stephen Green, head of the project team, by e-mail at stephen.green@shu.ac.uk or by phone at 0114 225 2831.

Publications

Robinson, D., Reeve, K., Casey, R. and Goudie, R. (2007) Promoting Equality and Sustainability Through Housing Market Renewal: A Strategy for Bridging NewcastleGateshead Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder. Newcastle: BNG. (available at http://www.bridgingng.org.uk/research.htm)

This document sets out a focused, innovative and evidence-based strategy for meeting housing need and promoting cohesion through housing market renewal. The strategy focuses on the case study of NewcastleGateshead. Attention focuses on ensuring that housing market renewal involves a positive process of change for all residents. This involves maximising the potential of renewal activities to be a force for good, as well as recognising the need to effectively manage potential difficulties associated with the ongoing process of transformation brought about by housing market renewal.

Robinson, D., Reeve, K., Casey, R. and Goudie, R. (2007) Minority Ethnic Residential Experiences and Requirements in the Bridging NewcastleGateshead Area. Newcastle: BNG. (available at http://www.bridgingng.org.uk/research.htm)

The report presents the findings of a major research project delivered by a team from the CRESR, which was commissioned by Bridging NewcastleGateshead Housing, one of nine Housing Market Renewal Pathfinders in England, in a bid to help sensitise the Pathfinder’s activities to the needs of all groups resident within and likely to move into the BNG area. The report details the findings to emerge from a review of existing evidence and data, which was supplemented by a survey of the views and opinions of more than 100 minority ethnic people living within the BNG area.

Reeve, K., Casey, R. and Goudie, R. (2007) Homeless Women: homelessness careers, homelessness landscapes. London: Crisis.

This is the second of two reports from research conducted exploring the expeirences of homeless women in England. The first report - 'Homeless Women: still being failed yet striving to survive' was launched in Westminster in November 2006. This new report focuses on women's trajectories into, out of and through homelessness. It explores the ways in which their trajectories are influenced by a range of processes, actions and interactions. By charting this 'landscape of homelessness' the very complex and multi-faceted nature of women's homelessness is illuminated.

Reeve, K. and Robinson, D. (2007) 'Beyond the multi-ethnic metropolis: minority ethnic housing experience in small town England', Housing Studies, 22, 4, 547-571.

Cole, I. (2007) What future for social housing? People, Place & Policy Online, 1/1, pp. 3-13

Staffing News

Congratulations to John Flint on securing his Chair, John is now Professor of Housing and Urban Governance at CRESR.

CRESR is also pleased to announce the appointment of a new Research Associate. Deidre Duffy joins the CRESR housing team having completed her Masters degree in Terrorism and International Relations at the University of Wales Aberyswyth. Her research interests include: community cohesion and local involvement; radicalisation and alienation; and cohesion and dissent within the EU.

Centre for Comparative Housing Research (CCHR)

De Montfort University, Leicester

Gypsy/Traveller Research

Dr Jo Richardson’s report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Providing Gypsy/Traveller sites: contentious spaces, was published by CIH at the end of October 2007 and a launch event was held at Portcullis House on 30 October 2007, chaired by Lord Avebury. Findings can be seen on http://www.jrf.org.uk/.

Jo led a team which undertook a Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTAA) in East Kent; the final report was presented to stakeholders in September 2007.
Over the summer 2007 Jo provided advice to the East Midlands Regional Assembly on the GTAAs as part of the Examination in Public of the draft Regional Spatial Strategy.

In addition to the JRF report, another recent publication is: Richardson, J. (2007) ‘Policing Gypsies and Travellers’ in (eds) Hayes, M. and Acton, T. (Eds) Travellers, Gypsies, Roma: The Demonisation of Difference: Cambridge, Cambridge Scholars Press.

Forthcoming publications include a chapter with Andrew Ryder entitled ‘New Labour’s policies and their effectiveness for the provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers in England’ in Trehan and Sigona (eds) Contemporary Romani politics: recognition, mobilisation and participation, published by Palgrave Macmillan. Also Jo is contributing a chapter for an Italian book on Roma People in Europe edited by Tomasso Vitale and published by Nicola Teti press.

Rural Housing

Dr Tim Brown is working with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) and Housing Quality Network on a project on rural excellence for strategic housing services – see http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=689771. The current phase of the project involves running action learning sets in Bristol, Leeds and London (see http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=6441363). These have a focus on economic regeneration and rural housing, developing and implementing a strategy, resources and community involvement.

Unitary Authority for Shropshire

Dr Tim Brown is acting as advisor to the proposed new unitary authority in Shropshire on the steps necessary to ensure excellent housing and planning services from May 2009.
Housing Research in the East Midlands

Centre staff are working with other consultants on two major projects in the East Midlands:

• Affordable Housing and the Use of Section 106 Agreements: This project is led by the Centre for the East Midlands Regional Assembly. It focuses on reviewing existing policies and identifying best practice. A report is scheduled to be published in spring 2008.
• Low Cost Home Ownership: This project is led by Dr Richard Turkington (Housing Vision) and has been commissioned by the Housing Corporation.

The results of both studies will feed into the current review of the Regional Housing Strategy (see http://www.emra.gov.uk/meetings/regional-housing-planning-transport-joint-board/regional-housing-group).