Housing Studies Association Newsletter

2011-12-07T16:24:00.002Z

Housing Law and Policy - By David Cowan

Abstract: This new book by David Cowan integrates understanding of law and policy so that reader can see how the subject fits together - both the letter of the law and the way it is used. Readers are guided through the complexities of housing law by a leading academic who has researched the subject for more than twenty years.
It acknowledges the many official and unofficial linkages between law and policy to give a fuller picture of decision-making and regulation in housing.
David Cowan is Professor of Law and Policy at the University of Bristol, and a barrister at Arden Chambers. He has published widely in the area of housing and related research, and acted as a consultant to the England and Wales Law Commision.
Further details are available from

http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item6472204/?site_locale=en_GB

HSA members who are interested in reviewing this book should contact martin.mcnally@chester.ac.uk

2011-12-07T15:03:00.006Z

News from CCHPR (Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research)

Evaluation of FirstStop advice service for older people
The Government announced in 'Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England' that they will be investing a further £1.5 million in the FirstStop information and advice service. FirstStop is a free, independent service for older people, their families and carers and aims to help older people make informed decisions about their housing, care and support options and to help them maintain independent living in later life. The Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Service at the University of Cambridge has been working with FirstStop since 2009 to conduct an independent evaluation of the initiative with an action research approach and are delighted that the service has secured further funding.

Evaluation of Enhanced Housing Options Trailblazers report published
This project evaluated the implementation, operation and success of the Enhanced Housing Options Trailblazers programmes. This work was by CCHPR, with involvement from Birmingham University (Centre for Urban and Regional Analysis) and Shared Intelligence. The Enhanced Housing Options Trailblazers were run by DCLG with support from the DWP. The full evaluation report can be downloaded from CCHPR’s website.

New Affordable Homes: what, where and for whom have RPs been building between 1989 and 2009?
The New affordable homes report provides detailed retrospective analysis of the new homes built by Registered Providers in England over the period 1989 to 2009. The research, funded jointly by the Tenant Services Authority and the HCA in February 2010, was carried out by a team drawn from the Universities of Sheffield and Cambridge and the London School of Economics. The research used a wide range of data to investigate in detail what new homes were built by England’s Registered Providers, where these were located and who rented or bought them. In particular, the research:

Looked in detail at the types and sizes of new homes that were constructed and how these changed over time
Mapped where all these homes were built at the postcode level across the whole of England and linked this to new analyses of social deprivation and tenure mix
Used anonymous data on tenants analysed who were being allocated these new homes or who bought new low cost homes, including the social, economic and demographic characteristics of the households that moved into them

New publication: Residualisation of the social rented sector: some new evidence
Anna Clarke and Sarah Monk have published a new paper on residualisation of the social rented sector in the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis.

Please visit the CCHPR website to either download or obtain further details of these publications:http://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/

2011-12-07T14:02:00.004Z

New book: "Neighbourhood Effects Research: New Perspectives"

By van Ham, M.; Manley, D.; Bailey, N.; Simpson, L.; Maclennan, D. Spinger Verlag ISBN

Abstract: Over the last 25 years a vast body of literature has been published on neighbourhood effects: the idea that living in more deprived neighbourhoods has a negative effect on residents’ life chances over and above the effect of their individual characteristics. The volume of work not only reflects academic and policy interest in this topic, but also the fact that we are still no closer to answering the question of how important neighbourhood effects actually are. There is little doubt that these effects exist, but we do not know enough about the causal mechanisms which produce them, their relative importance in shaping individual’s life chances, the circumstances or conditions under which they are most important, or the most effective policy responses. Collectively, the chapters in this book offer new perspectives on these questions, and refocus the academic debate on neighbourhood effects. The book enriches the neighbourhood effects literature with insights from a wide range of disciplines and countries.

978-94-007-2308-5 http://www.springer.com/social+sciences/population+studies/book/978-94-007-2308-5?changeHeader

2011-12-07T13:58:00.006Z

Localism: an opportunity for home building and community cohesion?
Papers are invited from early career researchers in town and regional planning and related disciplines for ‘Localism: an opportunity for home building and community cohesion?’, the second conference organised by the Department of Town and Regional Planning Research School at the University of Sheffield, taking place on the 25th May 2012, at the university’s Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences.

The Localism Bill brings to the fore the tension between development and local empowerment. The rhetoric surrounding the bill promotes an increase in housing supply in a manner that places the local community in direct contact with the planning process. Improving community cohesion at all levels of society is part of the Big Society objective and will be impacted upon by local development. This conference is designed to explore some of the tensions between economic growth, home building and local community cohesion.

Keynote speakers, including Professor Ian Cole, Sheffield Hallam University and Professor Nick Johnson, Urban Splash and the University of Sheffield, will provide a variety of theoretical and grounded perspectives on the conference themes. Additionally workshops will be used to explore a range of issues surrounding the conference theme from four perspectives: housing economics and home building; community cohesion and justice; planning for ‘Localism’ and housing lessons from non UK situations. The conference provides the opportunity for early career researchers, whether PhD students or researchers from outside academia, to present their research in a friendly and constructive environment. Each of the workshops will be supported by an academic member of staff from the University of Sheffield and will provide supportive and robust feedback.

Offers of papers (a title and 200 word abstract) should be emailed to r.j.dunning@sheffield.ac.uk (Richard Dunning) and c.maidment@sheffield.ac.uk (Chris Maidment) by 25th March 2012. We welcome papers covering the conference themes and also dealing with any other aspect of research corresponding to the four workshops. The conference fee is £15, covering attendance, lunch and an evening drinks reception. Places are limited and will be offered on a first come, first served basis, please email either Richard or Chris if you are interesting in attending. Thanks to the support of the Housing Studies Association five bursaries are also available, covering the full cost of the conference fee and up to £25 towards travel arrangements.

2011-12-07T12:54:00.011Z

Two vacancies for fully funded 4-year Phd-Projects in Sociology at the University of Amsterdam (FMG, Department of Sociology and Anthropology)

Both PhD-projects will be carried out at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), Program Group Institutions, Inequalities and Internationalisation, and form part of the research project HOWCOME: The Interplay Between the Upward Trend in Home-Ownership and Income Inequality in Advanced Welfare Democracies: Interacting Causes and Consequences of Social Inequality in Different Institutional Settings. The project is financed by the European Research Council (ERC) in the framework of an ERC Starting Grant.
Further details are available from:
http://www.english.uva.nl/vacancies/vacancies.cfm

2011-12-07T12:46:00.005Z

News for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive

The latest edition of the Housing Research Bulletin (Issue 12, autumn 2011) marks the Housing Executive’s 40th Anniversary, and summarises recently-published reports on:

House prices and affordability;
Community involvement opportunities offered by the Housing Community Network in Northern Ireland;
Attitudes to sustainable homes; and
The Forthspring Inter Community Survey, which looked at the attitudes of residents in an ‘interface’ area in Belfast on sharing space.

Earlier this year, the Housing Executive published reports on:

The future need and demand for appropriate models of accommodation and associated services for older people in Northern Ireland.
The Barn Halt supported living scheme for frail older people, Carrickfergus (summary also available).
Research assessing the potential for Equity Release for older owner-occupiers in Northern Ireland.

All publications are available from the NIHE website http://www.nihe.gov.uk/index.htm

2011-12-07T12:15:00.005Z

ISA Research Committee 43 (Housing) at the ISA World Forum of Sociology: Social Justice and Democratization (Buenos Aries, Argentina, August 1-4 2012)

HSA members are invited to consider submitting an abstract (either an individual or a collaborative effort) for the ISA Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, taking place on 1 - 4 August 2012. Please follow the web link below for direct access to the conference website. Research Committee 43 (housing and the built environment) is preparing a parallel series of sessions on housing and will lalso run a joint session (with RC21 - urban neighbourhoods) on 'Housing and the right to the City'. Deadline for astract submission: December 15, 2011 Kenneth Gibb, President of RC43, is a co-organiser of this joint session, and if you would like to submit a paper for consideration at the joint session, please contact him directly ken.gibb@glasgow.ac.uk
If you wish to submit an abstract for the conference, please follow the guidelines shown here. Please note that the deadline for submission is December 15, 2011. If you have any further questions about the conference, please contact Kenneth Gibb, or the local organisers of the conference (details on the conference website).
Conference website: http://www.isa-sociology.org/buenos-aires-2012/

2011-12-07T11:58:00.008Z

TRP hosts Launch of New Book on Sustainable Cities

On Wednesday 16 December, there will be a launch at the University of Sheffield of The Future of Sustainable Cities: Critical Reflections, published by the Policy Press. The event is being supported by the Housing Studies Association, the Policy Press and the University of Sheffield. The book is co-edited by John Flint of the Department of Town and Regional Planning at the University of Sheffield and Mike Raco of the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London.
The book has brought together leading scholars to explore the vital issues currently confronting cities and to develop new ways of thinking about urban sustainability in a period of economic crisis and austerity. The audience at the launch will hear presentations from John Flint and Mike Raco, followed by a presentation from Professor Ian Cole of CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University, who will highlight how the ideas within the book could contribute to key debates about sustainable cities. The attendees will then take part in a round table discussion, which covers a wide range of topics including the challenges facing policy makers and academics, the economic, social and political consequences of the recession, and ideas for how urban sustainability may be pursued in the years ahead. For further details about The Future of Sustainable Cities, see the Policy Press website at:
http://www.policypress.co.uk/display.asp?ISB=9781847426666&

Shelter Housing Databank

2011-10-07T17:32:00.007+01:00

Shelter has today launched Shelter Housing Databank, the easy access local housing data resource.

With the current drive for localism, reliable local housing data is more critical than ever.

That’s why Shelter has put the most up-to-date housing data for England – drawn from a wide range of sources - into one place, enabling an analysis of local housing indicators in just a few quick steps.

Regularly updated, this new Housing Databank enables local areas to be compared and can aggregate local data to regional and national levels, in a few easy clicks.

Visit Shelter Housing Databank at http://england.shelter.org.uk/professional_resources/housing_databank

HSA Support and Endorsement of Activities and Events

2011-10-07T17:21:00.003+01:00

The HSA recognises that supporting and endorsing events and activities that contribute to its aims is a primary function for the Association and that this represents an important and effective utilisation of our resources. The HSA is therefore committed to providing appropriate support and endorsement where possible to further its aims.
We welcome applications for support and endorsement, and we particularly encourage applications from early career researchers or for activities and events which support early career researchers.
Please note that lead applicants MUST be current members of the HSA and that any support provided is subject to terms and conditions. Only applications submitted through the official application form will be considered and this form must be completed in full.
Details of the HSA's policy and procedure for supporting and endorsing activities and how to apply are available on the HSA website www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/
For further information or to informally discuss an application or proposed activity or event please contact John Flint at john.flint@sheffield.ac.uk

Supported places at the 2012 HSA Conference

2011-10-07T17:13:00.003+01:00

We are delighted to announce that, with the continuing generous support of the Housing Studies Charitable Trust, we are again able to offer a number of supported places at the 2012 HSA conference. These are:
· Two Housing Studies Charitable Trust Bursaries
· Four Housing Studies Association Bursaries
Each of the bursaries will cover the full cost of conference fees and up to £50 travel costs to attend the conference. Candidates who are initially not successful in gaining a bursary may also be placed on a reserve list for any unused places.
Further etails about the bursaries, eligibility, conditions and how to apply are available on the HSA website: www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/

News from BSHF

2011-09-30T12:17:00.010+01:00

BSHF has published a report tackling the issue of housing undersupply in the UK. The shortage of housing impacts on the economy, society as a whole, as well as individual households.

There is a range of different causes of this undersupply, which have been exacerbated by the current financial constraints. The government has made a high level commitment to addressing these issues, and are introducing a range of policy measures with the aim of increasing supply. However, the report argues that there is a lack of coherence in these policies and that a strategic approach is needed to tackle the scale of the housing crisis. Four strategic objectives are proposed covering the full scope of the problem from land supply to finance.

The report is available to order or for free download from the BSHF website:
http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?lang=00&thePubID=25E04994-15C5-F4C0-99170AE24B5B0A84

6th Australasian Housing Researchers’ Conference 2012

2011-09-30T10:08:00.002+01:00

Following on from the 5th highly stimulating and successful Australasian Housing Researchers’ Conference (AHRC) held in Auckland in November 2010, the Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning (CHURP) at The University of Adelaide will be hosting the 6th AHRC in February 2012. The conference will bring together Australasia’s brightest minds in housing research, attracting participants from a range of backgrounds, including academia, the government and non-government sectors.
Please visit www.adelaide.edu.au/churp/ahrc12 for more information.

Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research (CRESR), Seminar Series

2011-09-30T08:41:00.005+01:00

CRESR has recently published details of its 2011/12 seminar series. The CRESR seminar series comprises a series of monthly seminars across a diverse range of subjects given by academics from different disciplinary backgrounds. Seminars are attended by academics, students and practitioners and are open to anyone with an interest in the subject matter. For details go to http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/events.html

New appointments: Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of Sheffield

2011-09-30T08:33:00.005+01:00

The Department of Town & Regional Planning at the University of Sheffield is delighted to announce the appointment of staff to two new academic posts, both with specialisms in housing research.

Professor John Flint, previously at the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, Sheffield Hallam University will be joining the Department on 1 October as Chair in Housing. John has published widely on housing and urban governance and has led research projects for a wide range of funders, including ESRC, JRF, ODPM, DWP and the Scottish Government.

Lee Crookes has been appointed as a Teaching Associate. Lee was a member of the Department's Research School and has recently submitted a PhD thesis on official and local understandings of place, particularly through the Housing Market Renewal programme in England.

TRP looks forward to welcoming both John and Lee and to their contribution to the work of the Department.

Housing Disadvantaged People? Insiders and Outsiders in French Social Housing

2011-09-30T08:29:00.005+01:00

By Jane Ball
Between historic French revolutions and the modern riots, negotiated solutions to social dilemmas emerged. Despite progress in constitutional principles, complex local negotiations still ultimately determine who is housed. Local social landlords, mayors and employee and tenant representatives use their privileges to house their insiders: existing tenants, locals and employees, with rent insufficiently subsidized. ‘Insider Outsider’ theory is used for an economic analysis of exclusion in social housing allocation: its processes, institutional context, and stigmatizing effects. This highlights the spatial effects of nimbyism, excluding disadvantaged outsiders, and concentrating them in deprived areas. Simultaneously, urban regeneration reduced affordable housing stock and ‘social mix’ became a reason to refuse a social home.
History, comparative law, economic theory and local interviews with housing actors give a detailed picture of what happens in and around French social housing allocation for an interdisciplinary housing policy audience. Constitutional principles appear in an unfamiliar guise as negotiating positions, with the "right to property" supporting landlords and the "right to housing" supporting tenants. French debates about the function of social landlords are echoed across Europe and reflected in European policies concerning rights, and the exclusion of disadvantaged minorities.
Contents
1. Social Landlords and Insider Outsider Theory 2. Exploring the Function of Social Housing 3. The Historical Context: from Revolution to Rights 4. The Right to Housing in Context 5. Complex Institutions in the Grip of Change 6. Social Landlords and their Financing Problems 7. The Social Housing Allocation Process 8. Insiderness and Local Actors 9. Stigmatization and Outsiders 10. Housing Some of the Disadvantaged
Social housing appears to offer a solution for the housing of poor and disadvantaged people. The French "right to housing" offers poor and disadvantaged citizens priority in social housing allocation, and even a legal action against the State to obtain a social home. Despite this, France is suffering a long-lasting housing crisis with disadvantaged people having particular difficulties of access, often despite the efforts of local housing actors. This situation is affected by the European Court of Human Rights and EU decisions limiting diverse national housing and rental policies.
About the Author
Jane Ball is a senior lecturer at Sheffield University where she teaches several law courses concerning the organization of people on land. After 14 years in English legal practice she spent another 14 years researching the French housing scene, using an applied mix of public and private law, economic theory and empirical study.
Publishing September 2011 / Paperback: 978-0-415-55445-9 / £34.99

A copy of Jane's book is available for review. For further details please contact martin.mcnally@chester.ac.uk

Planning for the Just City

2011-09-30T08:09:00.011+01:00

Members of the HSA are warmly invited to the First Civic University Lecture by Professor Susan Fainstein of Harvard University on Friday, 21 October 2011 at 5.30pm In Firth Hall, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN

In the first Civic University Lecture, Susan Fainstein will reflect on the intellectual and policy implications of her significant new book, The Just City. The concept of the "just city" is designed to encourage policy-makers to embrace a different approach to urban development and to challenge the academic community to move beyond critical analysis. The argument applies theoretical concepts about justice developed by contemporary philosophers to the concrete problems faced by urban planners and policymakers and argues that, despite structural obstacles, meaningful reform can be achieved at the local level.

Susan Fainstein is Professor of Urban Planning in the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. A leading authority on comparative urban public policy, urban redevelopment and planning theory, her books include: The Just City, The City Builders, Restructuring the City, and Urban Political Movements. Professor Keith Burnett, Vice Chancellor, University of Sheffield, states: "The Civic University initiative is central to our mission. The aim is to foster mutually beneficial interactions between civic and intellectual concerns, with an underlying aspiration to make a difference. This, the first Civic University Lecture, is part of this initiative."

Entry is free of charge but by ticket only. Book online at www.shef.ac.uk/whatson/justcity

Sarah Webb CBE

2011-09-09T13:40:00.004+01:00

The Housing Studies Association is immensely saddened by the news that Sarah Webb, who recently stepped down as the Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, has died.

Sarah touched the lives of many of our members with her commitment to housing, both as a vital practical concern in today’s society and as a subject of intellectual enquiry in its own right. Many of our members had the good fortune to work with Sarah directly, either at the CIH or through one of the other housing organisations that benefited from her talents.

Sarah was a strong supporter of the HSA. She contributed wisdom and a sense of practical reality to our annual conferences as a plenary speaker, and she helped foster close working links between the CIH and HSA. We are indebted to her support.

A full obituary and tributes from the housing sector can be read on the CIH’s website here www.cih.org/SarahWebb.htm

Housing Studies Association

9 September 2011

STEVE TIESDELL (1964-2011)

2011-08-24T11:56:00.004+01:00

Dr Steve Tiesdell, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at the University of Glasgow and one of the UK’s leading academic urban designers, died on 30 June 2011, aged 47.

Steve's full obituary provided by David Adams, University of Glasgow can be found on the Housing Studies Association website
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/tiesdell.htm

2011-06-10T16:56:00.000+01:00

HSA 2011 Conference Housing in Hard Times: Class, poverty and social exclusion, conference papers
Papers from this year's HSA conference are now available and can be found at:
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/spring11/papers.htm

2011-06-10T16:48:00.002+01:00

CONSULTATIONS

Consultation on Green Paper – towards a Common Strategic Framework for EU research and innovation funding
The HSA has recently responded to an EU consultation on a Green Paper for its future Research & Development strategy. The HSA response was based on representations received from HSA members. Thanks to those who responded. The response can be downloaded from the HSA website: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/EU_Green_Paper_HSA_response%20(2).pdf
The consultation docoment is available from http://ec.europa.eu/research/csfri/index_en.cfm?pg=documents

2011-06-10T16:45:00.003+01:00

NEWS FROM CHR, ST ANDREWS

Housing in Hard Times 2011 Housing Studies Association Conference
The 2011 Housing Studies Association conference organised by Kim McKee (CHR, St Andrews) and Jenny Muir (QUB), provided a critical forum for discussing the impact of the economic downturn on housing policy and practice. The conference organised on the theme of Housing in Hard Times: class, poverty and social exclusion, attracted nearly 100 delegates and over 65 papers from across academia, policy and practice. Keynotes were delivered by Prof. Ian Cole (Sheffield Hallam), Prof. Chris Hamnett (KCL), Mr Andy Milne (SURF), Dr Gerry Mooney (Open University), Dr Kirsteen Paton (Glasgow), and Dr Jackie Smith (Shelter). Papers are now available on the conference website: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/spring11/index.htm

Kim McKee leads response to the Scottish Government's regeneration discussion document
Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations (GWSF) have launched their response to the Scottish Government's Regeneration Discussion Document: 'Building a Sustainable Future'. The response, led by Dr Kim McKee (CHR), emphasises the pivotal role Community-Controlled Housing Associations (CCHAs) play as community anchors, and the social and economic value they add through their regeneration activities. Moreover, it underlines the importance of area-based interventions in tackling concentrated poverty in Scotland's most deprived communities. To access the full report please see the GWSF website: http://www.gwsf.org.uk/uploads/GWSFregenmay2011webversion.pdf

The Social Dynamics of Neighbourhood, Early Career Symposium
Our recent early-career symposium organised by CHR PhD student Alice Oldfield on ‘The Social Dynamics of Neighbourhood’ was very successful, providing a lively and stimulating discussion for participants. The one-day event attracted around 20-early career researchers from across the UK and beyond. Drawing on national and international case studies, the presentations offered interesting insights into how neighbourhoods simultaneously influence and are influenced by a range of actors.
Prof. Ade Kearns (University of Glasgow) provided a thought-provoking plenary, which was then followed by early-career presentations from: Marie Gibert (Paris Sorbonne); Rob Craig (Aberdeen); Carol McKenzie (Heriot-Watt); Gerald Aiken (Durham); and Colleen Rowan (Glasgow).

2011-06-10T16:32:00.006+01:00

NEWS FROM THE BUILDING AND SOCIAL HOUSING FOUNDATION

Self-help housing
BSHF has published a report examining the multiple benefits that self-help housing can provide to communities. Self-help housing involves local community groups bringing empty properties back into use, and the benefits can include the creation of work and training opportunities, building of local communities and support for neighbourhood regeneration.
The work was undertaken in partnership with Professor David Mullins of the Third Sector Research Centre.
The report is available to order or for free download from the BSHF website:
http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?thePubID=2F9EC046-15C5-F4C0-991896202739F469

Housing benefit modelling
BSHF has published analysis assessing how changes in the labour market could impact upon Housing Benefit claimant numbers in the UK. If the modelled relationship continues to hold, by the middle of next year there will be almost 250,000 more Housing Benefit recipients than current government estimates suggest. These differences would impact on the level of expenditure on Housing Benefit: expenditure would be £400 million higher than government forecasts in 2011/12, rising to £1.2 billion higher than forecast for 2012/13.
The report is available to order or for free download from the BSHF website: http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?thePubID=4E36E822-15C5-F4C0-9910CF24FAAC301E

2011-06-10T16:02:00.007+01:00

NEW BOOKS

Understanding Housing Policy, Second Edition, by Brian Lund, Policy Press. ISBN-10: 184742631X ISBN-13: 978-1847426314 http://www.policypress.co.uk Price: £22.99
The second edition of Understanding Housing Policy has been completely revised and updated and includes a new chapter on the political processes involved in the construction and delivery of housing policies.
The new edition:
reviews a number of theoretical perspectives helpful in understanding the normative dimensions of housing policy;
examines explanations of policy development and implementation processes;
explores the development of housing policy in the United Kingdom;
contains a chapter on comparative housing policy;
examines a number of contemporary housing problems:affordability; homelessness; low demand and neighbourhood deprivation; overcrowding; multi-occupation; ‘decent’ homes and‘sustainable’ housing;
devotes a chapter to the relationship between housing and social justice;
includes an assessment of the impact of New Labour’s housing policies and the policy orientation of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition.
Updates are available at the author’s website: http://housingpolicy.moonfruit.com

2011-06-10T15:47:00.006+01:00

Housing and inequality – A new CIH book in the Practice Studies series. Edited by Isobel Anderson and Duncan Sim.
The UK is a much more unequal society than it was 30 years ago. Over the same period, housing tenure has also been transformed, with a much larger proportion owning their own home and having access to the assets resulting from soaring property values. But where does this leave the one third of society who struggle to maintain their living standards? Many are living in social rented housing, but many too are in the private rented sector, and even owner-occupation has its share of poor households.
The links between housing and social inequality are complex and this book aims to untangle them for the reader. A range of contributors, drawing from their own research, cover topics such as:
• housing and economic inequality
• concentrated poverty in social housing estates
• neighbourhoods and estate regeneration
• whether mixed communities help tackle inequality
• inequality over the life course
• homelessness
• migrants, housing and inequality
• disabled people and their need for accessible housing.
As well as chapters which set the context for discussions about inequality and housing, and a concluding chapter on what a more equitable housing policy might look like, Alan Murie provides an overarching chapter on theprospects for housing policy and inequality. Several chapters also provide international comparisons, especially with the European Union.
The book is both a contribution to an important debate, and an excellent source for students, researchers and practitioners who want to understand why housing plays such an important part - both in creating inequality and in driving the policies that aim to reduce it.
Housing and inequality is £21.00 for HSA and CIH members and £30.00 for HSA and CIH non-members.
For further details about CIH Publications, please visit www.cih.org/publications

2011-04-07T11:50:00.002+01:00

British Academy small grant: travel to school and housing markets

Ed Ferrari recently won a British Academy small grant to undertake a short project looking at the relationship between travel to school and housing markets in the UK and US. The project aims to collect some baseline comparative microdata from cities in the UK and US and undertake some preliminary analysis in collaboration with Professor Marc Schlossberg of the University of Oregon. For further details contact e.t.ferrari@sheffield.ac.uk

2011-04-07T11:18:00.011+01:00

News from the Building and Social Housing Federation (BSHF)

Energy efficiency study

BSHF is been supporting a longitudinal study by Metropolitan Housing Partnership on the impact of energy efficiency features in new and retrofitted homes. The first report from the three year study, called ‘Homes of Our Times’, has recently been published and is available for download from MHP: Homes of Our Times The report suggests that there is a worrying gap between designed performance and the actual performance that customers receive. Up to half of residents were unaware of the low and zero carbon technologies (LZCT) in their homes. This initial report assesses whether residents were achieving intended savings, emitting less carbon and using less energy as a result of their greener homes. Evidence presented in the report demonstrates the pressing need for better and clearer engagement and communication to raise awareness of how the homes and technologies work and what residents need to do in order to benefit from them both in terms of energy and financial savings.

Regeneration Inquiry

BSHF’s submission to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee’s inquiry on regeneration drew on academic research into the Housing Market Pathfinder programme. The work, carried out by former BSHF CASE student, Andrea Armstrong, highlighted the challenges that future regeneration efforts will face, particularly in areas that have experienced repeated attempts at regeneration policies and strategies over a period of decades. BSHF Evidence to Select Committee on Regeneration

Welfare Reform – Public Bill Committee

Continuing the work started by its Consultation at Windsor Castle on the subject of Support with Housing Costs, in June 2010, BSHF has submitted evidence to the Public Bill Committee for the Welfare Reform Bill. The evidence drew attention to the fact that the specification of the housing component of Universal Credit (clause 11) is very broadly drawn, potentially granting substantial powers to ministers to change how it is calculated without further parliamentary scrutiny. It also highlighted the need for the design of Universal Credit to be coordinated with wider housing policy (such as the introduction of Affordable Rent), to create a coherent approach. Public Bill Committee evidence

2011-04-07T11:02:00.004+01:00

Second ISA Forum of Sociology, August 1 - 4, 2012

Research Committee 43 (Housing and the Built Environment) of the ISA (International Sociological Association) is hosting a session at the Buenos Aries, Argentina ISA 2nd Forum of Sociology Conference. Details are at the website above. Please note that general papers on housing research will be considered and not just those in relation to Latin America. Abstracts can be submitted to any of the the named programme co-ordinators. Further details are available from http://www.isa-sociology.org/buenos-aires-2012/rc/rc.php?n=RC43

2011-02-14T16:26:00.002Z

News from Building and Social Housing Foundation (BSHF)

Welfare Reform
BSHF has been paying particular attention to the government’s proposed welfare reforms:

The findings of last year’s consultation at St George’s House, Windsor Castle were published as ‘Support with Housing Costs: Developing a simplified and sustainable system’. Further details are available from http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?lang=00&thePubID=AB588DD9-15C5-F4C0-993D5892C8E1DCC1
Jim Vine appeared before the Work and Pensions select committee to discuss proposals for the Universal Credit.
A short paper was published on the impact of claimant numbers on welfare expenditure. It suggests that relatively small changes in the underlying assumptions on unemployment and economic inactivity lead to large changes in both the number of claimants and overall Housing Benefit expenditure. Further details are available from http://www.bshf.org/published-information/?lang=00

Self-help housing
BSHF has been working with HACT, Self-Help-Housing.org and the Third Sector Research Centre on self-help housing. A report will be published in the spring on this community driven approach to tackling empty properties.

2011-02-14T16:19:00.004Z

New Understanding Welfare textbooks from The Policy Press

The Policy Press has recently published two new textbooks in the highly regarded Understanding Welfare series:
Understanding community by Peter Somerville
Understanding the environment and social policy edited by Tony Fitzpatrick

Both textbooks are intended for people teaching courses in these areas and are available on inspection for those leading courses of at least 12 students*. Information on each book is detailed below and if you would like to order an inspection copy please follow this link:
http://www.policypress.co.uk/inspection_copy.asp Alternatively they can be ordered at 20% discount on the website http://www.policypress.co.uk/

Understanding community is a highly topical text offering a clear understanding of policy and theory in relation to community. By examining areas of government policy, such as economic development, education, health, housing, and community safety, this book explores the difficulties that communities face and discusses new concepts such as community cohesion, social capital and community capacity building. Somerville challenges our understanding of community, both social and conceptual, and assesses the strengths and limitations of this understanding. This book is recommended for students studying social policy, social work and sociology, and as a resource for policymakers in community development, urban regeneration and allied fields.

Understanding the environment and social policy explores the key social, political, economic and moral challenges that environmental problems pose for social policy in a global context. Combining theory and practice with an interdisciplinary approach, the book reviews the current strategies and policies and provides a critique of proposed future developments in the field. Bringing together leading experts, it guides the reader through the subject in an accessible way using chapter summaries, further reading, recommended webpages, a glossary and questions for discussion.
Providing a comprehensive overview, the book is aimed at students, teachers, activists, practitioners and policymakers.

*Inspection copies are available to lecturers who wish to consider adopting them for a course of 12 or more students. If the title is recommended for purchase on a course, it may be kept. If not, it should be paid for or returned to the distributor in resaleable condition within 28 days. A maximum of three titles can be requested at any one time.

2011-02-14T16:18:00.001Z

'Transforming Private Landlords' by Tony Crook & Peter A Kemp was published
in November by Wiley Blackwell: ISBN 978-1-4051-8415-1

Recent years have seen a sea change in attitudes to investment in private rental housing. Although private letting was one of the most important investment outlets in the nineteenth century, for much of the twentieth century private landlordism was in decline. Indeed, the privately rented sector witnessed net disinvestment by landlords for seven decades prior to the late 1980s.
Since then, however, there has been a significant revival of investment in private rental housing and growth in its market share. Meanwhile the image of private landlordism has greatly improved and the highly polarised attitudes of the past have been replaced by political consensus on the important role that landlords can play in housing provision.

An extensive array of government initiatives was introduced in order to attract new investment back into the private lettings market. This included rent deregulation, the Business Expansion Scheme, Housing Investment Trusts, and Real Estate Investment Trusts. Many of these initiatives were particularly aimed at enticing property companies and financial institutions into the residential lettings market. Yet the revival of letting has come from private individuals investing in so called ‘buy to let’ housing rather than from the corporate sector.

Transforming private landlords: housing, markets and public policy explores the origins, nature and extent of this revival in the fortunes of private landlordism. It present an in depth analysis of private landlords, the rationales for, and ways in which governments have sought to revitalise investment in residential lettings and their success in doing so. It assesses the extent to which landlordism has been transformed in recent years and the lessons for policy that can be learned from this experience.

The book addresses a major gap in the literature about an important actor in housing provision and the built environment. It draws on findings from the authors' research and interviews conducted with thousand of landlords in Britain.

Tony Crook is Professor Emeritus of Town & Regional Planning at the University of Sheffield and Peter Kemp is Barnett Professor of Social Policy at the University of Oxford

2011-02-14T15:07:00.002Z

New report on local housing market volatility

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation recently published the report Local Housing Market Volatility, which was written by Ed Ferrari and Alasdair Rae (Sheffield University). The report, which was written as as submission to the JRF's Housing Markets Taskforce, finds that the last housing market boom - which ended with the credit crunch - was one of the longest in recent history and exacerbated regional and local inequalities in the housing market. The gaps between different parts of the country grew wider in housing market terms. The report suggests that policymakers need to renew their attention to the demand side of the housing market - and regional differentials in the economy in particular. It also suggests that these regional differentials and patterns of population mobility within the country serve to reinforce structural patterns of inequality in the housing market.

The full report and a four page summary 'Findings' can be downloaded from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's website at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/local-housing-market-volatility

2011-02-14T15:04:00.002Z

Heriot-Watt University launches new research institute

Heriot Watt University's School of the Built Environment is delighted to announce the establishment of a new research institute, to be launched on the occasion of Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick's inaugural lecture on 4th May 2011. This new 'Institute for Housing, Urban and Real Estate Research' (IHURER) will be directed by Professor Glen Bramley, and will bring together a number of existing research groups within the School of the Built Environment (SBE), including:
· Centre for Research into Socially Inclusive Services
· Housing and Urban Society
· Property Economics and Investment

The new Institute will also encompass Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick and Dr Sarah Johnsen's work on homelessness, social exclusion and related issues, following their move to Heriot-Watt from the University of York in July 2010. Details of the Institute’s launch event and Professor Fitzpatrick's inaugural lecture will be circulated shortly.

2011-02-14T15:03:00.002Z

Response by HSA Executive Committee to the assessment of housing statistics produced by DCLG

The HSA Executive Committee have responded to the consultation on the assessment of housing statistics produced by DCLG. To see the response letter please use the following link: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/UKSAhousingstatsconsultationJan2011.pdf

2011-02-14T14:58:00.000Z

2011 HSA/HSCT (Housing Studies Charitable Trust) Bursary Award Winners Announced

The Housing Studies Association and the Housing Studies Charitable Trust are delighted to announce the recipients of their joint 2011 bursary awards. The bursaries were established to ensure that members of the housing studies community facing financial barriers were still able to attend and present their work at the Housing Studies Association annual conference and to subsequently submit their paper to the Housing Studies journal.

The four recipients of the 2011 bursaries are Patricia Campbell (University of Glasgow), Patricia Jones, Carol McKenzie and Martin Whiteford.

The Housing Studies Association would like to express its gratitude for the generous support provided by the Housing Studies Charitable Trust and its appreciation to all of the individuals who submitted bursary applications.

For further information please contact John Flint j.f.flint@shu.ac.uk

2011-02-14T13:48:00.006Z

2011-02-14T10:04:00.014Z

HSA Conference 2011

Last minute reminder to book for the 2011 conference. Early booking deadline is 25 February. Discounted rates apply before this date.

The Early Career Scholars stream of the 2011 Housing Studies Association conference has again been widely supported by members of the academic and professional communities. Abstracts have been received from PhD students, early career scholars, and researchers from policy research bodies, ensuring the stream will have a diverse and interesting set of presentations from its speakers.

The timetable for the Early Careers Scholars stream will be released in March. The organisers would like to thank the Housing Studies Association and Housing Studies Charitable Trust for their generous support. Four financial bursaries were made available to scholars otherwise unable to attend the event; these were awarded in February 2011 and we would like to congratulate the successful candidates.

NEWS FROM CHR, ST ANDREWS

2010-11-24T10:28:00.005Z

Events
Professor Duncan Maclennan, CBE will be delivering his inaugural lecture on Wednesday 8th December from 5:15pm at the University of St Andrews. This open event will address the theme of "Housing, the Economy and City Change: where next?".

Local Engagement
Dr Kim McKee delivered the opening keynote at the annual Employers in Voluntary Housing conference in St Andrews on the 29th October. The theme of Kim's plenary was "The Future of Community Housing in Scotland".

Prof. Duncan Maclennan delivered a keynote presentation at the Scotland's Cities conference, held in Dundee on the 10th November. This key event sought to bring together international experts, business and local civic leaders to develop an action plan for the future success of Scotland's cities.

New Staff
CHR is delighted to welcome two new research fellows to its growing research centre. Dr Louise Reid (formerly of Aberdeen University) and Dr Beverley Searle (formerly of Durham University) joined the University in October.

New Publications
McKee, K. (2010) “The End of the Right to Buy and the Future of Social Housing in Scotland”, Local Economy 25(4): 319-327.

Call for papers now open: HSA conference 2011

2010-11-02T10:12:00.002Z

The call for papers for the annual Housing Studies Association conference is now open. The theme of the conference is Housing in Hard Times: class, poverty and social exclusion, and the event will take place at the University of York, 13-15 April 2011.

In addition to a dedicated early-career stream, a small number of early-career bursaries are also available this year thanks to the support of the journal of Housing Studies and the Housing Studies Association.

The abstract deadline is 1st February. Please send your abstracts to the conference organisers Kim McKee and Jenny Muir.

More details will be posted on the HSA website in due course:

Foundations for the future: the housing research conference for Wales

2010-10-07T09:00:00.001+01:00

3rd December 2010, Glamorgan Building Cardiff University

Call for papers deadline: 5th November 2010

Abstract and poster submissions: Dr Peter Mackie mackiep@cardiff.ac.uk

For more information please see:
http://emanager.accent-adc.co.uk/T/ViewEmail/r/77A38FA60917D84E/61365D9171928593F6A1C87C670A6B9F

New Issue of PPP Online

2010-09-08T08:59:00.002+01:00

Volume 4, Issue 2 is now available free to download at www.ppp-online.org

Issue 2 contents:

* Promoting homeownership at the margins: the experience of low-cost homeownership purchasers in regeneration areas - Kim McKee
* The future of Arms Length Management Organisations: the uncertain fate of a social housing hybrid - Ian Cole and Ryan Powell
* How do we make prisons places of work and learning? - Del Roy Fletcher
* Review – The Spirit Level: why equality is better for everyone - Gary Craig
* Review – Sinking and Swimming: understanding Britain’s unmet needs - Karen Escott

About People, Place & Policy Online:
PPP-Online provides a forum for debate between academics, policy-makers and practitioners thinking about major societal challenges and concerned with identifying problems and suggesting solutions.

PPP-Online publishes:
* research findings, including emerging findings from ongoing research
* methodological discussions and reflections on research and evaluative techniques and approaches
* policy reviews
* literature reviews
* opinion pieces, stimulating ongoing debate across issues
* book reviews

PPP-Online welcomes both empirically and theoretically informed discussion from different viewpoints about: the problems facing contemporary society; how they are perceived and presented by policy makers; the appropriateness and effectiveness of the policy and practice response; the practical and political realities of policy orientated research; perspectives on different methods and methodologies; and the conflicts and challenges encountered by the researcher and the researched.

For further information please visit www.ppp-online.org

News from CCHPR

2010-09-08T08:56:00.001+01:00

New Director for Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research

The Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research is delighted to announce that Dr Peter Williams, formerly Deputy Director General of the Council for Mortgage Lenders and chair of the National Housing and Planning Advisory Unit, has been appointed to be the new Director following Professor Christine Whitehead’s retirement at the end of the year. The Centre, located in the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It currently employs 15 housing and planning researchers and support staff.

Peter Williams will take up his position on 1st January 2011. He said “I am delighted to succeed Prof. Christine Whitehead as Director of the CCHPR. There is an important research agenda to be addressed in housing and planning at present and this well established and prestigious research centre is uniquely placed to play a key role in formulating and assessing policy at both national and local levels.”

Deputy Director of the Centre, Sarah Monk, said ‘We are really excited by this appointment and while we will miss Christine as Director, we are all looking forward to working with Peter next year. As a self-financing research centre we hope that Peter will help us explore new areas of research and develop sources of funding so we can produce top quality research for at least another 20 years!.’

Ian Hodge, Head of the Department of Land Economy, said ‘ Peter, with his particular interests in housing finance and the interrelationship between housing and planning as well as his long term commitment to supporting the evidence base for policy and his previous experience as a Professor of Housing in Cardiff, running a research centre, brings exactly the mix of skills required to enable CCHPR’s continued development. We look forward to working with him’.

HOUSING INTERNSHIP

2010-06-09T12:15:00.001+01:00

Applications are invited for a Policy and Research Intern to join the Building and Social Housing Foundation’s UK housing research team.

Salary: £16,640 (One year fixed term contract)

The primary purpose of the post is to support the work of the UK programme at BSHF whilst providing an excellent career development opportunity to a candidate who is committed to the aims of the organisation.

You should be a graduate (or have equivalent experience), preferably with a related degree (such as architecture, economics, geography, social policy, sociology) with a strong commitment to the aims of BSHF. Strong verbal and written communication skills, excellent attention to detail and good analytical skills are essential.

The closing date for receipt of completed application forms is Tuesday 6th July 2010. Interviews will be held on Tuesday 20th July 2010. For more details see:
http://www.bshf.org/employment/internships.cfm?lang=00

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT THE CENTRE FOR HOUSING RESEARCH, ST ANDREWS

2010-06-03T11:19:00.003+01:00

The Centre for Housing Research (CHR) at St Andrews is delighted to welcome Dr Donald Houston and Dr Kim McKee, who have recently been appointed as Lecturers in Housing and Urban Studies.

Donald was previously at the Department of Geography at the University of Dundee, and prior to that Research Fellow at the Department of Urban Studies, University of Glasgow. His research interests are in labour market disadvantage and environmental justice. At CHR he will be developing research on housing and urban sustainability and will manage a Joseph Rowntree Foundation funded project examining the social justice implications of flooding in urban areas. Alongside this, he will continue to publish on the labour market implications of welfare reform and on the changing role of the private rented sector in the UK.

Kim was previously an Urban Studies Fellow in the Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow, and prior to that a PhD student in the Department of Urban Studies. Her research interests are in social housing, tenure-mix and low-cost homeownership, community governance, and tenant empowerment. At CHR she will be developing research on social housing, and young people and the future of homeownership.

CHR will also soon be appointing two new research fellows in the fields of housing systems analysis and sustainability to further develop the work of the centre:
http://ggsrv-cold.st-andrews.ac.uk/chr/

REPORT ON ANNUAL CONFERENCE

2010-05-25T16:15:00.002+01:00

"Housing in an Era of Change: New Directions for Housing"
Report of the 2010 HSA Conference, 14-16 April, York

The 2010 Housing Studies Association annual conference was held on 14-16 April at the University of York. The conference addressed the theme of the directions that housing research, scholarship, policy and practice would take (or need to take) in a new economic and political era. The conference was very successful and was attended by nearly 90 delegates.

The HSA is extremely grateful to all presenters and delegates for their contribution to the success of the conference and it is also indebted to the Chartered Institute of housing for its generous sponsorship. Six plenary speakers addressed the conference theme from different dimensions, drawing on their recent work:

Duncan Maclennan opened the conference by suggesting that our tendency to "believe in change" as a force for good needed to be supplanted by a "change in beliefs", challenging what housing means to us and how taxation and macroeconomic policy needed to find ways that did not rely on "leveraged household speculation" or "unearned wealth" in the future. He called for more attention on housing as a system of integrated quasi markets, with attention given to realistic pricing mechanisms, rather than as a fragmented set of provision systems.

Richard Ronald continued the theme of the 'end of an era' by considering how a range of other societies, including Japan, Singapore and Romania, have apparently hit the limits of owner occupation and that the close link between the market for private housing ownership and wider welfare policy is being challenged. Ronald drew on empirical material from his recent book to explore the complex social, cultural and economic terrains within local systems that, he argued, are re-emerging in importance following a period of neoliberal policy convergence.

Alex Marsh picked up again the subject of economics, which in many ways became one of the dominant themes of the conference. He moved to consider the need to extend our conceptualisations of the utility of housing beyond that of the shelter and investment goods with which we are now accustomed, by carefully exploring how we value housing as a social positional good. Marsh's talk drew on a wider corpus of theoretical work on behavioural economics, applying it to the case of housing in order to expose some of the limitations of conventional economic thinking and modelling of housing markets and individuals' behaviour as housing consumers.

Becky Tunstall further developed the focus on individuals by examining their life outcomes on the basis of their early housing circumstances. By means of a methodical analysis of several British birth cohorts studies, Tunstall was able to bring to life changing experiences of housing; how policy had changed and how the impacts of major policies could be identified through individuals' housing experiences; and the role of housing tenure and neighbourhood effects. Many delegates were clearly able to identify themselves as belonging to the various cohorts (spiritually, at least), and were introduced to the idea that Alan Sugar, Paul Merton and Geri Halliwell might well be symbols of Britain's changing housing through the years!

Tim Leunig used his time on the platform to show us why, with energy and ideas capable of turning conventional thinking on its head, he has become a regular commentator on housing within the professional press. In what would prove to be a controversial presentation, Leunig addressed the deficiencies in housing supply in the UK and presented an idea that he hoped would incentivise local communities to accommodate housebuilding by rewarding them with the direct payment of the value that is captured through the planning process. The session prompted a lively debate ranging from how (or whether) the pricing mechanisms could work to whether, fundamentally, regional (housing) policy needed to follow or to shape market forces as transmitted through labour market migration.

Abigail Davies closed the conference by offering a view from the world of policy and practice of recent trends and likely future trajectories. She argued that much will indeed change, regardless of the outcome of the General Election, as a consequence of deep seated demographic, social, fiscal and environmental challenges. The 'economy', she argued, would continue to dominate politicians' thinking and could eclipse housing and other non-protected policy areas. Davies' analysis of the future highlighted the consensuses (the environment, residential mobility, mutuals) and differences (localism, housebuilding targets, planning) between political parties but argued that some of the 'big questions' were missing. The Charted Institute of Housing's position on wishing to see more integrated housing policies that address fundamental change closed the conference in a way that was consistent with parts of Maclennan's opening plea.

An intellectually stimulating workshop programme was well attended. Over 30 high quality workshop presentations were given. There was also this year once again an Early Career Scholars' stream, with its own workshop track, at which 15 high quality papers were delivered. The HSA conference continues to promote rigorous debate by making a generous 45 minute slot available to presenters, enabling work to be presented and theoretical debates to be covered in some detail.

The conference dinner at the King's Manor in York on the Thursday night was a friendly event enjoyed by many delegates. Richard Ronald, representing the newly launched International Journal of Housing Policy, ensured the night got under way thanks to the drinks reception that he hosted. After an excellent meal, Duncan Maclennan told us why housing equity was over-rated, why free bus passes were not all that they're cracked up to be, and why 'Star Trek' continues to influence fashions to this day.

Thanks to Ed Ferrari (University of Sheffield) for organising this conference on behalf of the Housing Studies Association.

Details of next year's annual conference can be found on the HSA Website. The theme of the 2011 conference is 'Housing in Hard Times: class, poverty and social exclusion'. A call for papers will be circulated in the autumn:
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/conference.htm

NEWS FROM TOWN AND REGIONAL PLANNING, UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD

2010-05-25T16:13:00.002+01:00

New report on the use of Section 106 Planning Obligations in England
Researchers from Town & Regional Planning (with colleagues in Land Economy at Cambridge University, and Curtin Business School, Perth, Australia) have found that private developers have agreed to fund £5 billion of England´s local capital infrastructure, including roads, schools and new affordable housing in England. The research, which was commissioned by the Department of Communities & Local Government (CLG), shows planning obligations have led to the very substantial investments by developers. The full report can be found on CLG's website: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/planningobligationsreport

Planning obligations, known as S106 agreements, are negotiated by local planning authorities when granting planning permission for new developments. These obligations ensure that the necessary infrastructure to support new developments is in place and also that developers of private housing schemes create mixed communities by providing an element of affordable housing on new private estates.

The report shows that nearly two thirds of new affordable homes are now provided through S106 agreements. In principle many of these contributions are funded by developers from the increase in land value brought about by the granting of planning permission.

Until recently little was known about the extent and value of these obligations. This study is the third in a series commissioned by CLG and shows just how substantial these contributions have become. The value of S106 obligations has risen from £2bn in 2003-04 to £4bn in 2005-06 and to £5bn in 2007-08, of which around half in each year was for new affordable housing. This increase reflects both the greater capability of planning authorities when negotiating contributions and the rise in development values over that period providing the funds for developers to make their contributions.

The most recent research showed that, whilst planning authorities continued to focus their efforts on the largest sites, they were also negotiating more contributions from smaller sites than in earlier years. It further showed that there were still large variations in the extent to which planning authorities negotiated agreements and in the value of the contributions secured. This was partly due to the variations in demand for development and land values but also to significant variations in local authority policy and practice.

An important new finding from the latest research is that developers have been delivering a very large proportion of the agreed obligations. Allowing for changes to the timing of delivery, obligations were fully delivered on four in five of the sites where obligations were agreed in 2003-04 and 2005-06. Later agreements have been affected by the property downturn as sites have been developed much more slowly but planning authorities will require all the agreed obligations to be delivered once the market improves.

For more information, contact Professor Tony Crook on: a.crook@sheffield.ac.uk

HOUSING CARE AND SUPPORT CONFERENCE

2010-05-25T16:03:00.002+01:00

Housing Care and Support 2010: improving service, increasing choice and reducing the deficit: is it all possible?'
30th June, Manchester Conference Centre.

This conference will ask how we can mainstream good practice into daily reality at both the strategic commissioning level and also for service users and staff on the frontline. Responding to the impending crisis in public expenditure will focus minds and be a key theme for this conference. Speakers include:
*Gary Lashko, Chief Executive, Carr-Gomm
*Jeff Jerome, National Director Social Care Transitions, Department of Health
*Richard O'Driscoll, Head of Older People's Commissioning, Cambridgeshire NHS
*Nick Welch, Social Community Services, Oxfordshire County Council
*Rob Griffiths, CSED and New Path Consulting
*Dan Short Consultant, CSED, Department of Health
*Domini Pein-Gunn, Audit Commission
*Richard Brazil, Independent Consultant, Stamford Forum

Full details can be found on the conference website:

http://www.pavpub.com/pavpub/conferences/showfull.asp?Conference=881

BOOK REVIEW

2010-05-25T15:54:00.001+01:00

Brian Lund
Understanding Housing Policy
Bristol: The Policy Press
2006
£18.99 pbk pp.262

Lund’s Understanding Housing Policy is a volume within the Bristol Policy Press's practical 'Understanding Welfare' series, which present topical and innovative approaches to understanding social issues, policies and welfare delivery by leading experts. The book's main purpose is to provide a digest and explanation of the issues, problems and policies that have fashioned housing policy from the recent past to the present day. This it certainly achieves in a very clear and helpful manner.

The book's primary objective is housing in modern Britain and, as Lund writes in the Preface, is "…about why the state has intervened in the housing market, the forms this intervention has taken and the impact it has made". Thus social and economic developments and the policy reaction to them which have fashioned contemporary housing policy and practice are the essence of the book. Other topics such as theoretical perspectives, politics and comparative studies are also included.

Understanding Housing Policy is an introductory textbook aimed primarily at students new to housing studies. But it would also be of use to students studying subjects such as social and public policy, town planning, sociology, economics and politics and to anyone who wishes to know more about housing policy over the last decade or so. In my opinion it would also be of interest to researchers and housing practitioners and those in associated fields such as planning or other public services who want or need a useful summary and source about recent housing policy.

The format of each chapter seems ideal for such a book and particularly for those new(ish) to a topic. Each chapter begins with a summary of its contents and includes clear themed sections, which are necessarily abbreviated. Each chapter ends with an overview, questions for discussion and suggested further reading. Little or no prior knowledge of social or housing policy is assumed and important concepts, ideas and terms are carefully explained. A great deal of effort is made to counteract the alarm felt by many people when new to a subject – of being crushed by gobbledegook and jargon Throughout clear and simple language is used. Throughout too are helpful figures and tables together with useful little boxes emphasising or explaining key points.

In Chapter 1, Lund examines five theoretical approaches to understanding housing policy: laissez-faire economics, social reformism; Marxist political economy; behavioural and social constructionism. This is extremely helpful when attempting to understand the origins of housing policy although I suspect there may be other perspectives that Lund does not include. Certainly social science theory about the welfare state has traditionally included approaches such as convergence theory or technological determinism and functionalist perspectives. But perhaps Lund's choices are more appropriate and relevant today. Chapter 2 gives an account of housing policy from the mid-19th century when it began to be widely recognised that poor housing was a social problem that had to be addressed to the marketisation of housing supply and distribution by the Conservatives during the 1980s and 1990s. New Labour's approach to housing from 1997 is dealt with in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 introduces a comparative dimension by using five case studies chosen to illustrate housing policy in different country settings characterised by Esping-Andersen's 1990s classifications.

The rest of the book (Chapters 5 to 10) covers most of the important concerns impacting on housing and consequently on housing policy choices in the recent past, now and into the future. These are affordable housing, homelessness, decent homes, overcrowding/houses in multiple occupation, low demand and the relationship between housing and social justice. Each topic is covered succinctly, revealingly and intelligently, with regard to the main issues, problems and connections around and between them.

I have one minor quibble about the choice of topics. There is little about housing finance and might well have deserved a chapter of its own. New Labour has made several significant and far-reaching changes to public sector finance rules and practice, especially to those affecting local government including to capital finance, housing revenue accounts and rent restructuring/influencing. This could have replaced the chapter on comparative housing which has been better covered elsewhere and is of only marginal interest to most students on housing courses, especially since little is said about housing in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

Lund’s conclusions (Chapter 11) about the future draw together the main themes of the book. He uses a ‘social constructionist’ perspective to explain New Labour’s interpretation of housing problems within ‘Third Way’ thinking. He suggests that New Labour’s emphasis on building strong communities and promoting choice can generate conflicting messages for those remaining in deprived areas.

Although up-to-date at the time of publication, inevitably the time elapsed since then has meant that in some cases the situation has changed – for example statutory homelessness is no longer rising and annual acceptances are now below the level experienced when New Labour came into office. Inevitably too some of the subject matter of the book has been overtaken by recent developments such as the replacement of the Housing Corporation with the Homes and Communities Agency and the Tenant Services Authority, the decision to allow local authorities to build again and, of course, the impact of the 'credit crunch' and economic recession on housing.

Understanding Housing Policy compares extremely well with alternative books covering similar or the same territory such as Mullins and Muries’ Housing Policy in the UK (2006) and Harriott and Matthews' Introducing Affordable Housing (2009).

Frankly I am unable to find serious fault with this book. Lund certainly fits the publisher's claim that this series is written by experts with his extensive experience and knowledge of housing affairs. Every student of housing should have a copy and keep it on their shelves. It does everything it says it will do and does it all extremely ably. It does, however, need updating. With a General Election imminent as I write, I hope the publisher is planning to ask the author to start thinking about and preparing for a new edition.

Paul Walentowicz
Senior Lecturer in Housing
Anglia Ruskin University

BOOK REVIEW

2010-05-25T15:52:00.001+01:00

Understanding the Policy Process
John Hudson and Stuart Lowe
Bristol, Policy Press, 2009, 336 pp., £21.99.
ISBN 978 1 84742 267 5

Hudson and Lowe's review of the policy-making process is an engaging text that seeks to provide readers with the conceptual tools to understand how social policy is conceived, developed and delivered. Whilst its primary function is to introduce students of social policy to the key themes of policy analysis, the book has a clear authorial voice in making the case for how and why the policy process needs to be adequately theorised. It is a textbook with a mandate.

Three core ideas underpin the book. The first is that social policy is traditionally an under-theorised subject that relies too heavily on 'well-worn pathways of empirical, policy-related research' (p296). The book is presented, therefore, as a corrective that injects the theoretical insights of political science into social policy analysis so as to enable the latter to reach its full potential as a multi-disciplinary field of inquiry. Secondly, the book emphasises the importance of the concept of 'path-dependency' in terms of the need to ground policy analysis in socio-historical context. The trajectory of welfare policies in any particular country can, the authors argue, only be understood by considering how social and cultural formations that have developed over time influence the policy process. The third idea is that theoretical analysis of social policy can be best approached using a three-tiered conceptual map of the scale at which policy-making is shaped and implemented: the macro, meso and micro levels (see below). Within this typology, the meso-level at which institutions and networks operate is identified as the most neglected element of social policy analysis. Accordingly, the book makes the case for a new emphasis on applying concepts from political science given its innate disciplinary capacity to explore the policy process at this level.

The book is divided into three parts that correspond to these three layers of the policy process. Part One concentrates on macro-level analysis with chapters on globalisation, political economy, the post-industrial economy, technological change and structures of power. Part Two introduces concepts relating to meso-level analysis with chapters on the changing nature of governance, policy networks, institutions and policy transfer. Part Three centres on the micro-level analysis of the policy process with chapters exploring decision-making and personality, implementation and delivery, and evaluation and evidence. Each chapter is topped with an overview and key concepts and tailed with a well-written summary as well as questions for discussion and suggestions for further reading.

The explicitly eclectic and theoretical approach to policy analysis taken by the authors is both comprehensive and convincing. The three-tiered structure of analysis largely works well and will undoubtedly help students appreciate the plurality of the spaces, actors and institutions that shape policy-making. As befits a text written by two political scientists, the meso-level analysis of the institutions is particularly well-constructed. For example, Hudson and Lowe argue convincingly that meso-level networks (e.g. the policy community or producer networks) and institutions (e.g. voting systems or welfare state agencies) filter broader macro-level factors in a way that encourages incremental rather sweeping change. As the authors note, this provides a compelling reminder of the need to avoid overemphasising the transformatory potential of macro-level phenomena such as globalisation and the 'Information Revolution'. The ability of well-organised groups with the medical and social care professions to resist the imposition of new Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) systems by the British government is a case in point.

There are some ambiguities, however, within this tripartite conceptual framework. In the macro-level section, for example, globalisation is presented as an almost unstoppable force that 'undoubtedly compelled significant reappraisal of the post-1945 Beveridge welfare state’ (p25, my emphasis). Such a claim overlooks the possibility that the economic dimensions of globalisation have themselves emerged from within the same 'ideational paradigms' (43) that supported the rollback of the welfare state. As Harvey's (2005) account of neoliberalism emphasises, economic change is, at least in part, the consequence of a carefully orchestrated political and ideological project that successfully supplanted Keynesianism with neoliberalism as economic orthodoxy. In other words, globalisation is not some external, implacable force driving social policy change but shaped itself by the same political processes that have reconfigured the welfare state. At times, the model deployed by the book oversimplifies this relationship by implying that macro-level forces like globalisation are catalysts for policy change, when perhaps the two should be seen as mutually constitutive.

Such contradictions do not detract however from this thoughtful, engaging book that has much to offer to both undergraduate students new to the policy process and those looking for a detailed review of the conceptual tools that can be used to aid analysis of any policy domain. Whilst it does not focus on any particular policy area, it uses well-chosen examples form a range of policy fields including housing, health and employment to support theoretical points. Moreover, the book is written in a lively and readable style that avoids the pedestrian tone characteristic of all too many textbooks. It is also unafraid to use popular, cultural examples such as The Matrix film or Alice in Wonderland to illustrate complex, theoretical points about the nature and distribution of power. Such examples are used sparingly but effectively and would certainly assist in teaching those new to the subject.

On the whole, the book delivers on its promise to demonstrate the value of infusing social policy analysis with conceptual insights from political science. Perhaps the only discordant note is the claim that this is important because of the 'overexposure' (p296) of social policy to the disciplinary influence of sociology. Given the authors' assertion of the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to policy analysis, it may be more productive to emphasise the complimentary strengths that each discipline offers. If sociology undoubtedly suffers from neglecting the role of political institutions and processes that pattern social change, then political science is perhaps equally inattentive to how those processes shape stratification. Hudson and Lowe's own account, for example, pays little heed to the way in which policy reforms can reinforce inequalities or create new divisions along race, class or gender lines.

Moreover, the book does not discuss how the capacity to construct welfare recipients as deserving or undeserving also plays an important role in shaping the parameters for policymakers to act (see for example Levitas, 2005). It is much easier to impose to impose workfare-style programmes, for example, if those targeted are deemed to lack motivation rather than to be the victims of a shortage of jobs. This is not to argue that such ideas should have been included in what is already a dense and comprehensive account, but to suggest that sociology has important insights to offer social policy, including insights that help us understand how policy is formed. These are minor criticisms, however, of a book that brings together an impressive range of theoretical insights to provide an innovative and refreshing perspective on understanding the policy process.

Richard Crisp
Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR)
Sheffield Hallam University, UK.

References

Harvey, D. (2005) A brief history of neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lister, R. (2005) The inclusive society? Social exclusion and New Labour. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

NEW APPOINTMENTS AT HERIOT-WATT

2010-05-04T11:42:00.000+01:00

Heriot-Watt is delighted to welcome Suzanne Fitzpatrick and Dr Sarah Johnsen who join the University’s Housing and Urban Society Research Group from July 2010. Having directed York University’s Centre for Housing Policy since 2003, Suzanne becomes Professor of Housing and Social Policy at Heriot-Watt. Sarah, a Research Fellow at York since 2005, becomes a Senior Research Fellow. At Heriot-Watt, Suzanne and Sarah will be working on a range of projects including an ESRC-funded study of multiple exclusion homelessness. Suzanne will retain her role as Editor of the International Journal of Housing Policy (formerly the European Journal of Housing Policy).

Also joining Heriot-Watt is Kirsten Besemer, Research Associate, who moves from Chester University where she has been completing her PhD on the effects of trade liberalisation on Vietnamese rice farmers. Kirsten will work with Professor Glen Bramley and other colleagues on the 2010-11 UK Poverty and Social Exclusion Survey, 2011. This ESRC-funded project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Universities of Bristol, Glasgow and Queens, Belfast. Following on from the Millenium Poverty survey of 2000, the Breadline Britain surveys of 1983 and 1990, and Peter Townsend’s 1969 study, the 2010-11 research will measure the incidence of poverty across the country and investigate the nature of poverty and social exclusion in different contexts.

NEW HSA COMMITTEE MEMBERS

2010-04-22T08:19:00.003+01:00

Following the recent AGM, several new members have joined the HSA Executive Committee. The HSA would like to extend a warm welcome to these individuals:

Joe Frey (NI Housing Executive)
Rachael Dobson (University of Leeds)
Beverley Searle (Durham University)
Martin McNally (Chester University)

Thanks also to those members who recently stood down after their term ended. Their hard work and effort has been vital to the success of the association in recent years:

Pauline Card (Cardiff University)
Jane Mudd (University of Wales)
Madhu Satsangi (Stirling University)

For further information about the HSA and details of who the Executive Committee are, please see the association's website:
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/index.htm

NEW MEMBER OF THE EDITORIAL TEAM

2010-04-22T08:15:00.001+01:00

The HSA would like to extend a warm welcome to the newest member of the newsletter's editorial team, Martin McNally (Chester University).

FUTURE OF HOUSING IN NI

2010-03-26T10:15:00.003Z

The Commission on the Future for Housing in Northern Ireland will launch its final report next month on the 28th May at the annual 'Conference of the Isles' in Newcastle, Co. Down. Response to the Commission's Issues Paper in November has been strong and the final report will contain key recommendations on the way forward for housing in Northern Ireland. Further information about the Commission on the Future for Housing can be obtained from Grainia Long (grainia.long@cih.org). For more details
on the 'Conference of the Isles', please contact Edel Hughes (edel.hughes@cih.org).

NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM CLG

2010-03-26T10:13:00.002Z

New publications from CLG include the report on housing land supply and the cost of the review of sustainable homes:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchandstatistics/research1/researchpublications/

BOOK REVIEWERS NEEDED FOR HOUSING STUDIES JOURNAL

2010-03-09T12:11:00.005Z

The journal of Housing Studies is seeking to expand its database of potential reviewers. If you would be interested in reviewing publications for the journal, please get in touch with the Reviews Editors, and provide your contact details and areas of interest. The journal is especially keen to hear from early-career researchers, both postgrads and postdocs.

For further information contact the incoming Reviews Editors:

John Flint (J.F.Flint@shu.ac.uk)
and
Kim McKee (km410@st-andrews.ac.uk)

NEWS FROM CLG

2010-03-01T13:14:00.001Z

New research publications, can be viewed at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchandstatistics/research1/researchpublications/

BOOK REVIEW

2010-03-01T13:05:00.002Z

Renewing Neighbourhoods: Work, Enterprise and Governance
Stephen Syrett and David North (2008)
The Policy Press; University of Bristol £24.99(pbk)
ISBN 978 1 86134861 6

Syrett and North’s Renewing Neighbourhoods takes the expectations of evidence-based policy making, as outlined in New Labour’s white paper on Modernising Government(Cabinet Office 1999) and adds real substance to the many previous policy evaluations aimed at deprived neighbourhoods. This book thoughtfully presents a wealth of evidence (drawing on research supported by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation) about both macro and micro level problems associated with such neighbourhoods.

New Labour’s New commitment to neighbourhood renewal (2001:7) had already identified weaknesses in government policy including departmentalism and the setting of short term outputs which resulted in a failure to harness local energy and encourage innovation. Syrett and North work through past evaluations which have often presented only short-term benefits and this book brings a broad range of initiatives up to date. It provides significant new analysis of the longer-term impacts and shows that, despite grand announcements or new labels for regeneration initiatives, weaknesses in government policy remain. They present well-grounded evidence with the potential to shift future policy.

At the start they make plain the economic arguments for neighbourhood renewal and go on to define and explain the mapping of multiple deprivation using five case studies (Sunderland, Oldham, Mansfield, Brighton & Hove and the London Borough of Newham). Their research into the differences of these spatial areas draws on human, financial, physical and social capital. Their approach, as the title suggests, is concerned with work, enterprise and governance and each of these topics forms a major chapter. Indeed each chapter stands alone as an excellent topical analysis.

The chapter on work explores demand side and supply side issues and argues that central government influence is too constricting to enable successful outreach, personalisation and individual involvement for long-term benefits. In analysing enterprise they suggest current policy often bypasses those in the most deprived areas and does not stimulate the better quality jobs. Governance arrangements, they argue, militate against effective economic intervention because they are too centralised, complex, fragmented and often unaccountable. Their conclusion brings together these findings in a powerful summary which, although recognising that much has been done to integrate work on renewing neighbourhoods, illustrates that government is still too centralised, complex and driven by a ‘one size fits all’ mentality.

This is an important book for those working in the field of area-based initiatives. Indeed, it should perhaps be recommended reading for those involved in any kind of governance of neighbourhood renewal as an aid to understanding the frequently confusing array of conflicting outputs. It will help clarify the thinking that is necessary to underpin the visions, strategies and tasks that will be required on future initiatives. This book contains considerable insight and is a work of real scholarship from two authors with significant experience in this field. It is well written and readily accessible to those who are not immersed, day to day, in regeneration projects. It clearly sets out the key messages, supported by the use of the local case studies, and it presents complex issues in plain and precise English.

This book does not intend to address the topics of grand visions or place shaping that are fashionably associated with regeneration activity so, important as they might be, you won’t find them here. Other sources are available for such topics. It does not illustrate case studies outside of England but the messages here will readily apply to projects in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and beyond. For students of neighbourhood renewal this book will distill the topic with clarity and provide grounded illustrations that can readily be transferred to other projects. Moreover it will encourage clear and critical thinking that is often lost behind the targeted promotional literature that dominates the public perception of regeneration activity.

Robert Keats
School of Human Sciences
Southampton Solent University

References
Cabinet Office (1999) Modernising Government. Cm. 4310. London: The Stationery Office.

DTLR (2002) Lessons and Evaluations from ten Single Regeneration Budget case studies. Mid-term report. London: DTLR.

ODPM (2005) Lessons from the past, challenges for the future for housing policy. ODPM.

SEU (2001) A new commitment to neighbourhood renewal: National strategy action plan.
London: Cabinet Office

NEWS FROM CRESR

2010-03-01T13:03:00.002Z

New Projects: Decent Homes Assessment

CRESR is undertaking an assessment of the Government's Decent Homes programme for CLG. The programme has involved expenditure of over £20 billion since 2001 to bring all social housing dwellings in England up to a 'decency' standard. It is estimated that 92 per cent of all dwellings will be classed as 'decent' by the end of 2010. The programme is being assessed on the basis of local authority responses covering standards, links to wider regeneration activities and investment, value for money, tenant satisfaction and involvement, and overall lessons learnt. The final report will be produced in April 2010.

For information about the project please contact Professor Ian Cole, (I.D.cole@shu.ac.uk)

NEWS FROM CCHPR

2010-03-01T13:00:00.001Z

The Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research has been commissioned to undertake an evaluation of the FirstStop information and advice service for older people that is funded partly by Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Big Lottery Fund (BLF). FirstStop is an innovative attempt to provide a centralised I&A service about housing and care issues for older people and their families and carers. Faced with the potential financial burden of housing and caring for an ageing population, the government is keen to kind ways to inform older people about their options and encourage them to take preventative and proactive steps to make provision for their housing before a crisis. The evaluation began in late 2009 and will be completed in 2011. For more information contact Dr Gemma Burgess (glb36@cam.ac.uk).

HOUSING PRIVATISATION CONFERENCE PARALLEL SESSION: ALTERNATIVES TO THE MARKET

2010-02-01T14:36:00.003Z

Housing Privatisation Conference, University of Leeds, July 2010
Parallel Session: Alternatives to the Market

Beginning with the Conservative government’s Right to Buy policy in 1980, UK social housing has been subject to a range of policy initiatives designed to modernise the sector via market mechanisms. However, a parallel set of processes have also been occurring. As public sector housing has declined, housing that is controlled and owned by the local community has been increasingly promoted by government. These models of community housing provision, which include tenant-management co-operatives, housing co-operatives, and more recently, community-land trusts, represent important and significant alternatives to the market. In doing so, they shift the emphasis from the public to the voluntary sector through an emphasis on community empowerment and asset-ownership. They have at their core the values of self-help and volunteerism, and play an important role in encouraging active, responsible citizenship.

This parallel session aims to build and develop our critical understanding of community housing provision as a valuable ‘alternative to the market’. Papers are welcome from all sections of the housing community.

For further information, please contact the session organisers:

Kim McKee (University of Glasgow)
kim.mckee@ges.gla.ac.uk

Tom Moore (Sheffield Hallam University)
Tom.Moore@student.shu.ac.uk

NEWS FROM CLG

2010-02-01T14:33:00.000Z

New publications from CLG:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/researchandstatistics/research1/researchpublications/

HOUSING STATISTICS FORUM

2010-01-28T15:15:00.003Z

Communities and Local Government and the Royal Statistical Society are supporting the set up of a new Housing Statistics Network to be launched at a free half day seminar at the RSS on the afternoon of 26th Feb 2010.

This initiative aims to address the lack of representation from users of housing statistics at the Statistics Users Forum - a situation which has meant that this important area has lacked the opportunities for dialogue between data users and providers that have been valuable for other subjects.

Details of the seminar, the registration form and Aims and Objectives of the HSN, along with other background information are all at
http://www.msjconsultancy.co.uk/
Click on HSN in the navigation bar at the head of the page.

As part of the HSN initiative a new Internet Forum has just been established. Housing statistics users/providers are invited to use it to give feedback on the proposed HSN Aims and Objectives and to feel free to start new discussion topics. You'll find it here:
http://www.housingstatisticsnetwork.co.uk/

If you have an interest in housing statistics you can support this new initiative by registering for the launch seminar or the Network or using the Internet Forum - or all three.

REVIEW: STUDENT HOUSING AND THE LAW

2010-01-28T15:12:00.002Z

Student Housing and the Law
Martin Davis and Graham Robson (2009)
Shelter
Hardback ISBN 978-1903595770

With almost 2 million students involved in full time higher education this guide to student housing has a ready audience, many members of which will know precious little about their rights and obligations under the law.

This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of student housing for both students, advisers and, although unstated, landlords. It stresses that the relationships it covers are essentially legal but reminds the reader that many of the issues that might arise can be dealt with by good communication between the parties involved.

The book is structured in a straightforward way, using a number of important themes to then illustrate the main legal issues. The coverage it provides is good, ranging as it does from types of accommodation, providers, both educational institutions and other landlords, to matters to do with setting up tenancies, rents, rights and responsibilities, management issues, conditions and ending lettings. There is also a useful section that identifies some prominent issues to do with deposits, co-housing conditions and HMOs, with a brief overview and discussion of each.

The content of each of the sections provides very helpful information whatever the reader’s perspective. For example, there is a section covering the relationship between university disciplinary regulations and students living in halls of residence. Furthermore, reference is made to the voluntary standards to which universities and colleges can conform by signing up to the accreditation schemes run by Universities UK or the Accreditation Network UK.

This is also a handy list of contacts towards the end of the book; a glossary of terms would be useful as would a detailed list of references.

Whilst the content is good I can’t help feeling that the guide would benefit from more of the good illustrative cases to help those coming cold to the topic to understand this complex subject. By relating some of the intricate issues to real life instances would be of immense benefit to lay readers and to university accommodation staff, some of whom I have experience of teaching. One way of doing this might have been to use more of the many references to legal cases and to convert them into accessible illustrative cases.

In spite of my praise for the guide’s utility I find myself wondering about other things that it ought to have covered. Among the issues that have been overlooked is any detailed consideration of equalities, in particular the requirements placed on housing providers by the Disability Discrimination Acts. This strikes me as a significant omission because universities and colleges are obliged to provide support to disabled students, especially opportunities to support their learning. A cursory glance at some university websites confirms support is also provided in terms of living needs. There has been a missed opportunity to set out duties placed on landlords, especially in the private rented sector, by the law and Equality and Human Rights Commission Codes of Practice in this book.

Similarly, it would have been of benefit to have seen some discussion of other forms of discrimination that may occur in student housing, both provided by institutions and private landlords. It needs more guidance about what not to do when allocating and letting properties, or how to be sensitive to different cultural needs, or when housing students from overseas.

Last gripe: it would add to the guide if there were some consideration of what should happen when students are on the receiving end of bullying, harassment or anti-social behaviour as opposed to being assumed perpetrators of the latter. What role does the university have in dealing with these; what are landlord duties; what can other agencies do to help? What happens if a student becomes homeless as result of actions against them of this sort?

All things considered this is a very good guide that I would expect to be an essential tool to be used by university accommodation officers and student union welfare officers alike. From a teaching and learning perspective I also anticipate it being a core text to use when teaching university accommodation officers; in fact it will be the only text other than the now dated Student Rights Guide, also published by Shelter, to which I guess this must be the successor.

In closing, I’d like to refer back to the authors’ observation noted in the opening to this review that everything to do with student housing and the law is essentially relational; it involves interaction between landlord and tenant. Managing those relationships, whether you are a landlord or a tenant is quite a skill, so perhaps some advice about how to do this would have been valuable with again some examples that would help both parties avoid ending up dealing with the complex and expensive world of the law.

Steve McCann
Senior Lecturer in Housing Studies & HE Programme Manager
Centre for Housing and Support

POSTGRADUATE SMALL GRANTS SCHEME

2010-01-28T15:09:00.001Z

The SPA is pleased to announce the introduction, from January 2010, of a Postgraduate Small Grants Scheme to run alongside the existing Standard Small Grants Scheme.

The Standard and Postgraduate Small Grants Schemes are designed to help fund seminars and workshops dealing with research and/or learning & teaching in a way that is of benefit to the social policy community and SPA members. The focus should be on activities that will benefit a group or network rather than individuals. In 2010, applications for awards to support events with an international focus and/or to facilitate attendance from overseas, are particularly encouraged.

Funds will be made available in two rounds of applications over the year. Round one runs from 1st January to 30th June and round two from 1st July to 31st December. Applications are welcomed at any point within each award period, and funds are allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Each award offers a maximum of £500.

Applications are now invited for Round One 2010.

Full details of the schemes' terms and conditions are available on the SPA website: http://www.social-policy.com/gracond.aspx

Queries and applications should be sent to the SPA Small Grants Officer, Majella Kilkey, by email at M.M.Kilkey@hull.ac.uk

SPA Conference 2010

2010-01-28T15:05:00.001Z

Social Policy in Times of Change
5-7 July 2010, University of Lincoln, UK

Call for papers
The Social Policy Association’s Annual Conference will be held at the University of Lincoln from 5-7 July 2010. The plenary speakers for this year’s event will be Professor Peter Dreier (Occidental College, Los Angeles), Professor Ruth Lister (University of Loughborough), and Dr Branko Milanovic (World Bank).

Proposals are invited for papers on any aspect of social policy. We particularly encourage proposals reflecting high quality research or which explore questions of social policy in practice or the teaching of social policy. In 2010, in addition to standard papers, we are also calling for proposals for symposia, with three or four abstracts linked to a particular theme. Symposia will potentially allow participants to engage more deeply with their special interests.

For papers, abstracts of up to 400 words indicating the appropriate stream should be submitted as an email attachment to SPA2010@lincoln.ac.uk. Proposals for symposia should consist of a 200 word outline of the aims of the symposium together with the relevant abstracts. Proposals will be reviewed by a Programme Committee prior to acceptance. The closing date for the submission of abstracts and proposals is Friday 12 February 2010. Full papers must be submitted in pdf form by 18 June 2010. All proposals will be reviewed by a small team before approval.

Streams:
1. Children and families
2. Work, economy and welfare
3. Governance and the policy process
4. Comparative social policy
5. Poverty, inequalities and human rights
6. User perspectives
7. Teaching and learning
8. Health and social care
9. Innovations in social policy research
10. Crime, policing and criminal justice
11. Housing and welfare
12. Ageing and the lifecourse
13. Demographic and environmental change
14. Service design, delivery and use
15. The future of social policy
16. Open stream

Further information about the conference can be found at: www.lincoln.ac.uk/conferences/spa2010.

Booking information will shortly be available on this web site

UK HOUSING REVIEW 2009/10

2010-01-28T15:02:00.000Z

The UK Housing Review provides the key information for busy managers and policy makers. This 18th edition brings together the most up-to-date housing statistics available for England (and its regions), Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

It features over 200 charts and tables including data about:

UK and international economic trends
Public expenditure plans
Housing stock and conditions
Housing characteristics and incomes
House prices and market trends
Rents and revenue spending
Subsidies, tax relief and benefits
Homelessness and lettings
Housing investment by councils and housing associations

In addition to commentary on current trends, Steve Wilcox and other commentators give their views on ten years of devolved housing policy in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, stock transfer, the prospects for reform of council housing finance, and the effects of the continuing ‘credit crunch’.

‘At a time of growing public concern about Britain’s housing needs and how these can best be met, the importance of good, up-to-date information and perceptive analysis of market trends and relevant financial data cannot be over-emphasised. The UK Housing Review compiled and edited by Steve Wilcox admirably fulfils this role.’ Nick Raynsford, MP and former minister.

Discount price to Housing Studies Association members only: £27.00 plus £5.00 p&p for UK (normal price is £45 plus postage).

Contact Katharine.Walsh@cih.org or on 024 7685 1752 to order your copy and claim your HSA discount

NEWS FROM CIH

2010-01-28T15:00:00.003Z

Housing, Schools and Communities

A new Policy into Practice report on Housing, Schools and Communities has recently been published. The report examines the significant contribution to the success of neighbourhoods and communities that can be achieved through effective working between schools and housing providers, and highlights where both sectors share aspirations around tacking issues such as youth homelessness, social inclusion and community cohesion. Examples of existing partnership arrangements between schools and social landlords are used throughout to illustrate the report. Available to download:
http://www.cih.org/policy/fpp-HousingSchoolComtys-nov09.pdf

Transforming Estates
A new research report highlights the need for continued public investment in regeneration throughout the recession and in the face of expected public spending cuts, to ensure that longer-term gains for deprived communities are not jeopardised.Transforming Estates, a report by CIH and ECOTEC, urges policy makers to take a longer term perspective on regeneration and to commit to continued public investment in major regeneration schemes, beyond the current need for short-term rescue while private finance is restricted. Available to download here
http://www.cih.org/policy/fpp-TransLargeEsts-oct09.pdf

Housing, Health and Care
Housing Health and Care is a new report from CIH and the DH's Housing LIN look at taking a strategic approach to planning for sustainable communities - by integrating the development and delivery of services across housing, support, care and health. It aims to help professionals tackle the 'too difficult' area of more fully integrating and using the benefits of housing and related support, to deliver on the agenda of Putting People First. The role of housing is crucial for the increased focus on prevention and early response to problems. The report is
available here: http://www.cih.org/policy/fpp-HousingHealthCare-Dec09.pdf

NEWS FROM THE NI HOUSING EXECUTIVE

2010-01-28T14:36:00.006Z

Housing Research Bulletin – 9th Edition

The most recent edition of the Housing Research Bulletin summarises a number of short reports on the private rented sector in Northern Ireland, produced by the University of Ulster for the Housing Executive. The findings point towards a sector that fulfils a vital role in catering for a range of needs, and raise questions on how best to support the quality private rented sector that will continue to be a very necessary part of Northern Ireland’s housing market.

On a similar, sustainability-related theme, other articles in this edition of the Research Bulletin consider the impacts of second homes north and south of the border in Ireland, new evidence on the level of segregation in Housing Executive estates outside Belfast, and the measurement of ‘social assets’ at local level in Northern Ireland.

It can be accessed at: www.nihe.gov.uk/housing_bulletin_autumn_09_.pdf

Continuous Tenant Omnibus Survey

The 2008 Continuous Tenant Omnibus Survey (CTOS) was the fifteenth comprehensive assessment of the attitudes of Housing Executive tenants to be carried out since 1994. As well as gathering views on the Executive’s service provision, the survey provides a useful socio-economic profile of Housing Executive tenants.

www.nihe.gov.uk/continuous_tenant_omnibus_survey_annual_report_2008__november_2009_.pdf

Migrant Workers and the Housing Market: A Case Study of Dungannon

There has been no comprehensive study of the effect of the rapid increase in the number of migrant workers on Northern Ireland’s housing market. This research goes some way to address this issue. Using Dungannon as a case study, it examines the impact that migrant workers have had on the local housing market, provides an insight into their current housing circumstances and gives a preliminary indication of their future housing needs.

www.nihe.gov.uk/migrant_workers_and_the_housing_market_-_a_case_study_of_dungannon.pdf

Performance of the Private Rental Market (Belfast Metropolitan Area)

This report examines the developments in the private rental market January-June 2009. It indicates that in line with other parts of the UK average rent levels have declined a little.

www.nihe.gov.uk/rental_report_jan-june_09.pdf

The Private Rented Sector in Northern Ireland

This important suite of new research publications deals with aspects of privately rented accommodation and the experiences of tenants.

Introduction and Background
www.nihe.gov.uk/private_rented_sector_in_northern_ireland_report_1_introduction_and_background_to_research_series__published_july_2009_.pdf

Stock Profile and Physical Condition Report
www.nihe.gov.uk/private_rented_sector_in_northern_ireland_report_2_stock_profile_and_physical_condition_report__published_july_2009_.pdf

Socio-economic Profile of Private Sector Tenants
www.nihe.gov.uk/private_rented_sector_in_northern_ireland_report_3_socio-economic_profile_of_tenants_in_the_private_rented_sector__published_july_2009_.pdf

Living in the Private Rented Sector
www.nihe.gov.uk/private_rented_sector_in_northern_ireland_report_4_living_in_the_private_rented_sector_-_the_experiences_of_tenants__published_august_2009_.pdf

Stick, Twist or Bust: Final Report

This study looks at the impact of falling grant rates and the efficiency agenda on the ability of small and medium-sized housing associations in England to develop new social housing. This final report consolidates previous working papers and offers a commentary on the significance of the findings for the housing association sector in Northern Ireland.
www.nihe.gov.uk/stick_twist_or_bust_-_final_report.pdf

HOUSING CONFERENCE: HOUSING PRIVATISATION 30 YEARS ON

2009-12-04T12:16:00.003Z

Housing Privatisation, 30 Years on: Time for a Critical Re-appraisal

26- 27 July 2010, University of Leeds, UK

Organised by: Stuart Hodkinson, British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow (School of Geography, University of Leeds).

Steering group: Paul Watt (Birkbeck), Sarah Glynn (St Andrews), John Grayson (Sheffield Hallam University), Quintin Bradley (Leeds Metropolitan University), Glyn Robbins (London Metropolitan University) and Lee Crookes (University of Sheffield/MMU).

Next year marks the thirtieth anniversary of one of the most significant government policy agendas in modern British politics - the privatisation of public housing and the expansion of owner occupation. In 1980, the newly-elected Conservative government gave tenants of local authority housing ('council housing') the statutory 'Right to Buy' their council home at discounted prices. The Right to Buy was complemented by public spending cuts on housing, deregulation and a range of 'demunicipalisation' strategies aimed at transferring the remaining council housing to not-for-profit social landlords. Since 1997 New Labour has embraced this 'roll back' agenda, preventing local authorities from building new council housing despite the massive growth in housing waiting lists. At the same time, new market-based approaches, such as arms length companies, public-private partnerships, and choice-based lettings, have been 'rolled out' to what remains of the public housing stock in return for new investment to tackle disrepair. 30 years on, today less than a fifth of society lives in 'social rented housing' compared to 1980 when one-third of the population lived in council housing as a mainstream tenure of choice. At the same time, Britain is engulfed in a crisis of housing unaffordability and insecurity. In England alone, 1.8 million households - four million people - are on council housing waiting lists, nearly 100,000 live in temporary accommodation, and 54,000 households are overcrowded. While we are told by government and economists to celebrate the social and economic benefits of owner occupation and investing in the housing market, the contraction of affordable, secure, public rented housing in favour of reliance on the private sector is seen by critics as a major cause of today's housing crisis.

So, after three decades of housing privatisation in Britain, this public conference calls on academics, housing professionals, tenants' and residents' associations, policy makers, and campaigners to stand back and critically reflect on the aims, methods and, above all, consequences of this neoliberal agenda, and what lessons we can draw for future housing policy.

Keynote speakers include:
* Professor Peter Malpass (University of West England), author of Housing and the Welfare State (Palgrave MacMillan, 1995).
* Professor Danny Dorling (University of Sheffield), co-author of The Great Divide: an Analysis of Housing Inequality (Shelter, 2005)

Themes include:
* Historical emergence, role and experience of council housing (and non-market housing) in Britain
* The neoliberal turn in housing policy
* The role of think tanks, lobbyists, consultants in shaping housing policy
* British society before and after privatisation
* Winners and losers from privatisation: wealth redistribution, life chances, etc.
* Geographies of privatisation e.g. unpacking the urban/ rural, inner-city, high-rise / low-rise, devolution etc. experiences
* Council housing and social inequality - class, 'race' and gender
* Mass media representations of council housing
* Policy discourses of council housing.
* Evaluating 30 years of the Right to Buy, 20 years of stock transfer and 10 years of 'Decent Homes' including Arms Length Management
Organisations and the Private Finance Initiative
* Impact on the tenants' movement and wider political consequences e.g. class consciousness, political affiliations etc.
* Life on today's council estates, working class culture, the idea of community
* Political parties and privatisation - are they all the same?
* International influences and connections
* Wider linkages with urban regeneration, social mixing and sustainable communities, Housing Market Renewal, gentrification and the privatisation of public space
* Future housing policy
* Time for a third generation of council housing?
* Alternatives to the market: tenant Management, Coops, Community Land Trusts, squatting, eco-villages etc.

Session proposals:
If you would like to run one of these sessions or organise your own, send a session proposal with the title and its short description (within 200 words) to Stuart Hodkinson (s.n.hodkinson@leeds.ac.uk) by 1 January, 2009. All sessions will be announced on the conference website in January.

Individual papers:
Please send the title and abstract (within 200 words) of your proposed paper by 31 January, 2010. You can either wait for the official session announcement or submit now.

We very much welcome session proposals / papers / presentations from non-academics.

The programme will be completed by end of February, 2010; booking forms, prices and accommodation information will be available by then.

Keep checking the conference website:
http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/research/conferences/housing-privatisation-confe
rence.html

Dr Stuart Hodkinson
School of Geography
University of Leeds
LS2 9JT
0113-343-1820
s.n.hodkinson@leeds.ac.uk

Age Friendly Communities in the North: People and Places 2020

2009-12-04T08:59:00.005Z

The Northern Housing Consortium have conducted ground-breaking research amongst their membership to explore, understand and respond to the needs of older people in our communities, and to map out the steps the housing sector needs to take to create ‘age friendly’ homes, neighbourhoods and services which will meet the needs of future generations. The results of this major research project will be launched at an unmissable event for any one involved in the provision of services for older people: Tuesday, January 26th, 2010, York Racecourse, York.

Also featuring the first screening of Northern Silver Screen II – a collection of short films looking at best practice in age friendly and intergenerational ctivities.

Delegates at the event will:
-Receive a free copy of the publication, ‘Age Friendly Communities in the North: People & Places 2020’
-Receive a free copy of the Northern Silver Screen II DVD
-Hear latest government thinking around ensuring that homes and neighbourhoods are ‘age friendly’ and future proofing the sector as a whole
-Gain the knowledge to understand the key challenges, identify opportunities and deliver results
-Share good practice and learn from one another
-Hear about the tools and solutions available to future proof the services you deliver

For further information or to book a place, please visit:
www.northern-consortium.org.uk/Page/Events/

NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

2009-12-04T08:54:00.003Z

New Research

A team of researchers from the University of Glasgow (Rob Croudace, Nigel Sprigings and Kim McKee) and the Scottish Community Development Council are embarking on research for Scottish Natural Heritage with the purpose of exploring the social impacts of Scotland's natural environment. The study will consider issues such as health and well-being, volunteering and quality of life.

NEWS FROM TOWN & REGIONAL PLANNING, SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY

2009-12-04T08:50:00.003Z

Professor Tony Crook addresses National Landlords Association conference

Professor Tony Crook addressed the National Landlords' Association conference at the Holiday Inn in Birmingham on 20-21 November. The conference, and Professor Crook’s contribution, explored the Government’s proposals in its response to the Rugg Review of the Private Rented Sector in England. For more details: http://www.landlords.org.uk/conference/nlaconference.asp

TRP staff complete major study of Private Landlords in Scotland

A team of researchers from Sheffield, with a colleague from the University of Oxford, have recently completed a major study of the ownership of privately rented housing in Scotland for the Scottish Government. Professor Tony Crook and Dr Ed Ferrari from the department, together with Professor Peter Kemp from Oxford, authored a report entitled 'Views and Experiences of Landlords in the Private Rented Sector in Scotland'. The report, which was part of the Scottish Government's programme of research into the private rented sector, is informing policy in this important area.

They key findings from the study were that private sector housing is largely owned and managed by individual landlords owning relatively small portfolios. Most now regard their properties as investments, a significant increase from previous years. In general, landlords feel that the private rented sector works well but they have a number of specific concerns about how it is regulated.

More details can be found in the Scottish Government's Research Findings summary and full report, which can be downloaded from the Scottish Government's website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/03/23140128/0

Professor Crook appointed Chair of housing charity

Professor Tony Crook was appointed Chair of housing charity Shelter’s Board of Trustees, with effect from May 1st 2009.

Professor Crook said: “It is a great honour for me to have been asked by the Trustees to serve Shelter at this critical time for our country's housing. I look forward to working with all colleagues in Shelter and partner organisations to help keep the housing needs of our country at the forefront of debates. We will ensure that Shelter continues to be an effective advocate for imaginative policies to eliminate homelessness and bad housing.”

New Project: RICS award to look at household mobility expectations

Craig Watkins, Ed Ferrari and Danielle Leahy Laughlin are undertaking research funded by the RICS that looks at the way in which survey-based data on household mobility expectations are used to forecast housing need and demand at the local level. The project is part of broader programme of work, funded in part by the Technology and Science Board, that seeks to develop the conceptual and technical basis for Strategic Housing Market Assessments.

New Project: Valuing Attractive Landscapes in the Urban Economy (VALUE)

John Henneberry will be leading the TRP team in this major international project funded under the ERB INTERREG IVB North West Europe programme. The Sheffield team will be involved in Stated Preference Experiments that incorporate visualisations/virtual reality models to assess residents', businesses' and policy-makers' preferences and/or willingness to pay for a . The team will also undertake a more macro level assessment of the impact of green infrastructure on urban competitiveness.

New PhD students

Richard Dunning has joined TRP on a University Research Scholarship. Richard's doctoral studies will focus on modelling housing search and mobility patterns.

Reminder: HSA Annual Conference 2010

The call for Papers is open until 31 January 2010. More details can be found at http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/spring10/index.html. There is also an Early Careers Stream, with discounted fees, open to PhD students and early career researchers.

NEWS FROM CLG

2009-12-04T08:47:00.001Z

Measuring and valuing public services at the neighbourhood level:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/measuringpublicservices

Review of permitted development for charging points for electric cars:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/electriccarsreview

Small scale renewables and low carbon technology:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/smallscalesummary

Economic developments delivered by the New Dimensions programme:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/newdimensionbenefitsreport

NEWS FROM CLG

2009-11-04T14:59:00.001Z

Key messages on housing market renewal pathfinders:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrkeymessages

National evaluation of housing market renewal pathfinders 2005-2007:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrnationalevaluation

Housing market renewal and community cohesion:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrcommunitycohesion

Housing market renewal and private sector developers:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrprivatesectordevelopers

Policy alignment and partnership working in housing market renewal pathfinders:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrpolicyalignment

Value for money issues and the evaluation of housing market renewal pathfinders:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrvalueformoney

Wider performance measures for the housing market renewal programme:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hmrwiderperformance

Supporting People client records and outcomes annual report 2008-09:
http://www.spclientrecord.org.uk/pubs.cfm

Citizenship survey April - June 2009:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/citizenshipsurveyq1200910

NEWS FROM CRESR

2009-11-04T14:54:00.003Z

NEW PROJECTS

Understanding and Evaluating the Impact of the North Staffordshire Landlord Accreditation Scheme
A team of researchers from CRESR have been commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to evaluate the impact of Landlord accreditation and associated services to tenants and Landlords provided as part of the scheme. The research will investigate the impact that Landlord accreditation has had on the private rented sector across North Staffordshire, particularly in terms of improving housing conditions for tenants. The evaluation will also assess the perceptions of Landlords and tenants and provide recommendations on the future development of the accreditation scheme. A final report will be produced in January 2010.

For information about this study please contact Paul Hickman: p.g.hickman@shu.ac.uk

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Flint, J., Powell, R., Casey, R., Pearce, S., Moore, T. and Green, S. (2009) "A Study to Examine Local Barriers to the Delivery of Affordable Housing in Rural Wales". Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University.

This research examines the barriers to the delivery of affordable housing in rural Wales and also identifies key enabling factors and good practice. The Report presents findings and sets out recommendations for local authorities, local planning authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government and is available to download in both English and Welsh at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/planning/planningresearch/publishedresearch/affordablehousing/

For further information about this study please contact John Flint: j.f.flint@shu.ac.uk

New Deal for Communities Evaluation
A series of detailed reports has recently been published by CRESR as part of the ten year national evaluation of New Deal for Communities. The NDC Programme is one of the more interesting Area Based Initiatives ever launched In England in that community driven Partnerships are aiming to transform 39 very deprived neighbourhoods over ten years. The most recent tranche of outputs includes reports on worklessness, an analysis of change data for the 2002-2008 period, exploration of change for those who stayed in NDC areas between 2002 and 2006, and an examination of relationships between outcomes and community engagement. The Reports can be accessed at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/publications/all/

For more information about the NDC evaluation please contact Paul Lawless: p.l.lawless@shu.ac.uk

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
Powell, R. and Flint, J. (2009) '(In)formalization and the civilizing process: Applying the work of Norbert Elias to housing-based anti-social behaviour interventions in the UK', Housing, Theory and Society, 26 (3), pp.159-178.

Robinson, D. (forthcoming) 'New immigrants and migrants in social housing in Britain: discursive themes and lived realities', Policy and Politics. Advanced access at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tpp/pap/pre-prints

EVENTS
There are two seminars over the next month as part of the 2009/10 CRESR seminar series, all are welcome:

28 October 2009, 4pm, room 9130, Furnival Building, City Campus
Ian Rotherham, Sheffield Hallam University
Ecology: A Luxury or a Driver for Regional Regeneration?

18 November 2009 4pm, room 9130, Furnival Building, City Campus
Rebecca Tunstall, London School of Economics
Housing and Children's Life Chances, 1946-2000

EARLY CAREER FEATURE

2009-10-29T13:16:00.001Z

Regeneration in Deprived Coastal Communities- an exploration beyond tourism

The British government currently has no direct policy targeted specifically at coastal towns which may be due in part to their considerable variability in size and characteristics. It has been noted over recent years that Britain’s seaside towns have become a ‘problem area’, yet little research into the depth, causes, and consequences of these ‘problems’ has taken place (for some discussion see Beatty and Fothergill 2004) . Despite this apparent lack of political direction and academic research, the indices of deprivation (2007) show that many coastal areas suffer from high levels of deprivation, in some cases, comparable to those found in our inner cities.

In 2006 the House of Commons Coastal Town Report concluded to central government that coastal towns in England do in fact share some common features. Such features include physical and social isolation of individuals and populations, seasonal employment/low wage /skilled jobs, dependence on a single industry and outward migration of young people compared to an in-ward migration of older people. Also highlighted in this report was the ‘high incidence of poor housing conditions and a high proportion of privately rented homes found in coastal town’s (House of Commons 2006 p9). Particular reference is made to Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs). A HMO is a building in which more than one household shares an amenity, a converted building which does not contain entirely self contained flats and is occupied by more than one household. The House of Commons report makes a connection between vulnerable transient populations and the high levels of HMOs in seaside towns. These vulnerable populations, i.e. people “who are unable to meet their own everyday needs owing to a physical or mental health condition or who are vulnerable because of their situation, such as homelessness”, may be looking for cheap, easily obtainable accommodation (House of Commons 2006, p18). In some coastal towns this has led to the marginalization of poor residents into the same houses, streets and neighbourhoods, creating, in some coastal towns across the country, what could be referred to as ‘seaside slums’. Although no policy has been developed or established by the government to combat the characteristic problems of some coastal towns, a number of more broad polices have been put into effect including the Housing Act 2004, which introduced a mandatory licensing scheme for HMOs in an attempt to raise housing conditions and New Labour’s commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal (NR) which aims to improve the quality of life of those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods. The rest of this paper shall give a brief evaluation of each policy at work in the coastal town of Ilfracombe.

The author has been conducting research in the town of Ilfracombe, situated on the North Devon coast in the South West of England. Ilfracombe has suffered from economic decline since the 1970s, as more people went abroad for their yearly vacation; it has suffered a deepening sense of isolation, as railways and cruise lines closed; and it has witnessed a decline in investment which saw many of the grand Edwardian and Victorian houses and seaside hotels converted into cheap flats and bed sits as their upkeep became harder to afford. The central ward of the town is, according to the Indices of Deprivation 2004, among one of the 10% most deprived places in England and has one of the highest levels of non-decent housing in Devon. Since 2005 mandatory HMO licensing has been enforced by North Devon District Council (NDDC), and in conjunction with this, a Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder, a key programme of NR, has been established in Ilfracombe in a strategic effort to regenerate the town. From interviews with key strategic and ground level officers from NDDC during the fieldwork phase of doctoral research it became apparent that the implementation of HMO licensing- and consequentially raising the standards of accommodation in Ilfracombe- is challenging to enforce and the process of prosecuting unlicensed landlords can led to difficulties. Interviews with tenants of HMOs has also brought to the fore the difficulties with HMO licensing- which included the fear of being evicted and an increased rent during the process of improvement and repair. For many tenants, fear of eviction as improvement notices are issued, is fierce and far from paranoid. Of the landlords interviewed during the research most stated they would wait for tenants to leave the property or warrant eviction before carrying out repairs. This leaves some vulnerable tenants- who make-up a large proportion of the coastal HMO population- in a situation where they risk homelessness. However in a bid to improve services and deliver neighbourhood renewal the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder ‘Transform’ was developed and deployed to work across Ilfracombe and surrounding villages. Transform initiatives include a Social Prescribing Service, Healthier Homes Advisors and number of other services, including a One-Stop-Shop with council, community and voluntary services under one roof. Each service has supported tenants of HMOs in varying ways, including giving advice, working closely with NDDCs Environmental Health Officers to improve housing conditions and, in some cases, mediating with landlords. Additionally, Transform has also sought to improve key aspects of life, highlighted by the House of Commons Coastal Town Report. Schemes include Young Advisors, Street Pastors, Neighbourhood Wardens, job and skills training as well as work with various charities which support the mental and physical needs of many vulnerable HMO tenants on a daily basis. On a practical level, NDDC has established a firm basis for improvement of HMOs, issuing more improvement notices and offering support through grant and loans schemes, than ever before. Furthermore the Transform Pathfinder and its partners are additionally supporting tenants using a number of schemes, some mentioned above. The partnership of the two policies is far from perfect but does offer one solution to improve housing conditions for vulnerable tenants whilst supporting the complex social, physical and economic needs of some individuals. So, whilst no policy has been employed by central government to target the deprivation found in some coastal towns, both the Housing Act 2004 and Neighbourhood Renewal could work together to combat the problems found in many coastal towns, and perhaps other disadvantaged communities across the country.

Kim Ward, PhD Student
Department of Geography, University of Exeter

References

Beatty C and Fothergill S (2004) Economic change and the Labour Market in Britain’s Seaside Towns. Regional Studies 38 (5) 461 – 480

House of Commons Report (2006) Communities and Local Government Committee: Coastal Towns. Second Report of Session 2006-2007.

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK 2008-2012 CONSULTATION (UK)

2009-10-26T08:50:00.003Z

Dear Colleague,

As you may be aware, the Higher Education Funding Councils for England and Wales (HEFCE and HEFCW), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Department for Education and Learning Northern Ireland (DELNI) are undertaking a second round of consultation on the proposed arrangements for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2008-2012. (The full consultation document can be downloaded from http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_38/.)

The REF will be the key process by which the quality and impact of research in UK Higher Education (HE) institutions will be assessed. As was the case with its predecessor the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), the results of the REF will have important implications for the distribution of funding in the sector.

The HSA’s Executive Committee asked me to coordinate a possible submission to the REF consultation on the behalf of the Association.

While we recognise that many academic Departments and Institutions will be preparing their own responses to this consultation, we believe that it is important that the HSA, as a Learned Society and with a role to play in representing its members’ interests, also makes a submission.

We are concerned that the views of the HSA membership are fully reflected in helping us to construct and frame our response. I have made a few personal notes regarding the REF (below), which may act as a springboard for further discussion.

Should you have any views on the position that the HSA should adopt in its submission to this consultation, or would like to make any representation on the matter of any kind, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I would be grateful if any responses could be in my possession by 20 November 2009 so that I can reflect on them in time for the consultation deadline in December.

Best wishes

Ed Ferrari, HSA treasurer
Email: e.t.ferrari@sheffield.ac.uk

----
Note on the Research Excellence Framework 2008-12 consultation

One of the key issues for consultation revolves around the designation of the Units of Assessment (UoA) (consultation question 6). As part of a drastic reduction in the number of UoAs, there is a proposal that the Town & Country Planning unit is merged with Architecture and the Built Environment. This could potentially have ramifications for many (although not all) housing scholars.

In the 1996 Research Assessment Excerise (RAE), Planning-related departments were assessed alongside Built Environment colleagues. In the 2008 RAE, the existence of the 2008 Town and Country Planning panel emerged from dissatisfaction in 1996, because it was felt that many social science disciplines suffered from a lack of sufficient representation or enough detailed expertise at the UoA level. It would seem that in 1996 problems emerged because the academic interests and priorities of Built Environment departments often coalesced around technical and physical engineering interests, quite different to the range of social-scientific interests of many housing scholars. Built Environment colleagues were often involved in very large research projects and consortia, often aimed at solving very technical issues, which tended to emphasise inputs over outputs in a way that was quite different to the priorities of housing scholars. For example, there is a potential danger that the outputs and impacts (e.g. policy development) associated with Housing Studies (and planning) would be marginalised in a UoA which combined planning with the built environment.

In the 2008 exercise, housing outputs comprised around 6% of all submissions. Housing scholars were also involved in producing outputs for a wide range of other 'sub-disciplines', including regeneration (16%) and real estate (10%). It seems appropriate that the composition of the UoA Panel should continue to reflect the importance of housing outputs. A broader UoA encompassing architecture and the built environment could possibly work counter to this imperative. In particular, having a similarly-sized panel with a broader remit would likely mean that specialist housing representation would be squeezed out.

Although it is recognised that having the debate on the definition and composition of UoAs is welcome and necessary, it would surely be of concern if scholars coming from a social-sciences tradition, like many housing and planning scholars, were assessed in a more technical environment.

There are other issues on which HEFCE and its counterparts are seeking views, but it is probably the issue of UoA designation that is of the greatest significance to the HSA as a research community. It would seem sensible that any HSA response should focus on this issue.

Ed Ferrari
October 2009

2010 HOUSING STUDIES ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE: EARLY CAREER STREAM

2009-10-26T08:45:00.004Z

Call for papers now open. We invite contributions covering any aspect of housing studies, including policy and practice. We invite Early Career Researchers to submit an abstract to present a poster, a short paper, or a long paper.

Poster
Posters will be displayed in areas where delegates congregate, with presenters available to discuss and answer questions.

Short paper
Presentation (5-10 mins) of research ideas, methods, analysis, literature, theory, where the aim is to discuss emerging issues related to their research in an informal, supportive arena.

Long paper
Presentation (20-25 mins) of substantive aspects of a research project, including findings.

Submission and Attendance Information
Please send a short abstract (200 words) outlining your proposed presentation or poster and giving full contact details for the corresponding author to:

Rachael Dobson,
Email: r.dobson00@leeds.ac.uk.

Closing date for acceptance of abstracts: 31 January 2010.

Early career scholars giving papers will be offered a discounted conference
rate. You can find more about the Housing Studies Association and the Conference by visiting the website at:
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/chp/hsa/spring10/index.html

2010 HOUSING STUDIES ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

2009-10-26T08:38:00.004Z

New Directions for Housing? Housing in an Era of Change
University of York, 14-16 April 2010

The past decade has been one of tumultuous change in the housing field. In 2010 we can expect the economic and political landscape, both in the UK and elsewhere, to change significantly again. Dealing with the aftermath of the 'credit crunch' and the first 'structural' recession in the history of modern capitalism will mean working in a new era of fiscal austerity. The politics of housing may need to adapt in response.

Reflecting on how the Housing profession has changed in the last decade may equip us for the future. In terms of the challenges that remain and the new ones ahead, we ask what can be done; what should be done? New and imaginative responses are required. Hence, the 2010 Housing Studies Association conference invites responses to this question: what directions should housing take in the face of economic and political change?

Confirmed speakers include:
• Professor Duncan Maclennan
• Dr Becky Tunstall
• Dr Richard Ronald
• Dr Tim Leunig

The call for papers is now open. We invite papers covering any aspect of housing studies, including policy and practice. We would particularly welcome papers that address the conference theme of new directions in the face of economic and political change.

Please send a short abstract (200 words) outlining your proposed paper and giving full contact details for the corresponding author to:

Ed Ferrari
Email: e.t.ferrari@sheffield.ac.uk
Fax: +44 (0) 114 272 2199

Closing date for acceptance of abstracts: 31 January 2009

For more information about the HSA and the annual conference please see the website:
www.housing-studies-association.org/spring10

ACSS NOMINATIONS

2009-10-13T15:46:00.002+01:00

The Housing Studies Association are delighted to announce this year's successful nomination to the Academy of Social Sciences is, Professor Peter Malpass, University of the West of England. Congratulations to Peter on his nomination, which reflects his valuable and longstanding contribution to the housing studies community.

For more information about the ACSS please see their website:
http://www.acss.org.uk/

NEW ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

2009-10-13T15:45:00.001+01:00

Powell, R. and Flint, J. (2009) '(In)formalization and the civilizing process: Applying the work of Norbert Elias to housing-based anti-social behaviour interventions in the UK', Housing, Theory and Society, 26 (3), pp.159-178.

Robinson, D. (forthcoming) 'New immigrants and migrants in social housing in Britain: discursive themes and lived realities', Policy and Politics. Advanced access at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tpp/pap/pre-prints

RC43 International Sociological Association Conference 2010

2009-10-13T15:22:00.004+01:00

ISA World Congress of Sociology, Gothenburg, July 11-17, 2010
Cities and the housing boom/bust

Joint session of RC21 Regional and Urban Development and RC43 Housing and Built Environment

Organizers:
- Manuel Aalbers, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, m.b.aalbers@gmail.com
- Ken Gibb, University of Glasgow, UK, k.gibb@socsci.gla.ac.uk

Housing markets are highly dependent on the economic performance of cities. Yet, local housing market boom/bust is shaped not only at the city level, but also at the national and increasingly as the financial crisis of 2007-2009 makes clear at the global level. Local, national and global factors interact to produce housing booms/busts. A housing boom may be seen as a sign of economic vitality of a city, but also implies an affordability crisis for large parts of the urban population. A housing bust may be connected to an economic downturn and may result in redundant housing in one city and only a pause in increasing house prices in another.

Possible topics for this session include, but are not limited to:

o The local politics of housing
o Examples of housing boom/bust
o Analysis of how local, national and global factors shape markets
o Local housing effects of the global financial crisis
o Booming neighbourhoods in a busting city
o Busting neighbourhoods in a booming city
o The real estate network as a growth machine

Please email abstracts before the 9th December too:
Professor Kenneth Gibb
k.gibb@socsci.gla.ac.uk

NEWS FROM CLG

2009-10-13T15:09:00.004+01:00

Transformational Change? A Synthesis of New Evidence 2008-09

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/transformchangendcp

This report synthesises the evidence and analysis from a variety of reports published as part of the evaluation of the New Deal for Communities Programme on the extent of change that has occurred in the 39 deprived neighbourhoods the programme covers.

An Overview of Cross-sectional Change Data 2002-2008

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/crosssectiondatandcp

This report presents new data from the 2008 New Deal for Communities household survey and, for key indicators, tracks change from 2002 across the series of household surveys bi-annually. Local and national benchmarks are included where data permits.

Four Years of Change? Understanding the Experiences of the 2002-2006 New Deal for Communities Panel - Main Report

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/fouryearschangendcp

This report provides a longitudinal perspective on outcome change in deprived areas through the analysis of household survey data collected as part of the evaluation of the New Deal for Communities Programme.

Understanding and tackling worklessness volume 1: Worklessness, employment and enterprise: Patterns and change
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/worklessnessvol1

Understanding and tackling worklessness volume 2: Neighbourhood level problems, interventions, and outcomes
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/worklessnessvol2

Improving outcomes? Engaging local communities in the NDC Programme
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/improvingoutcomesndcp

This study explores the nature and impact of community engagement activities in six New Deal for Communities (NDC) Partnerships.

Raising educational attainment in deprived areas: the challenges of geography and residential mobility for area-based initiatives

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/educationndcp

This report explores the challenges in New Deal for Communities areas for local partnerships to develop and evaluate effective interventions to raise the educational attainment of local children.

Residential mobility and outcome change in deprived areas

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/residentmobilityndcp

This report examines the nature and impact of residential mobility on outcome change in the New Deal for Communities areas with a focus on how 6 case study partnerships experience and address issues raised by residential mobility in their areas.

The 2008 Partnership Survey

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/parnershipsurvey2008

This report sets out the findings from the 2008 New Deal for Communities Partnership Survey which covers a range of operational issues such as personnel and staffing,partnerships with other agencies, organisational structure and plans for succession.

The NDC Programme: Outputs and Expenditure 1999-2007

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/communities/outputsexpenditurendcp

This report presents a summary of data on spend and outputs to date.

NEW PUBLICATIONS FROM CIH

2009-10-13T15:06:00.004+01:00

Introducing Affordable Housing

This new edition of the essential book for housing and related courses is now available. The provision and management of affordable housing demands a wide range of knowledge and expertise. This important text examines the history and role of social and affordable housing in the UK and goes on to explore how it is financed, developed, and managed. It considers the key tasks which housing professionals have to undertake and some of the issues inherent in different approaches to these tasks. It recognises that sustainability underlies the work of affordable housing providers, in terms not only of protecting the environment and our scarce resources, but also in relation to promoting social and community cohesion within neighbourhoods.

Introducing Affordable Housing - part of the Practice Studies range - is particularly useful for students studying the Chartered Institute of Housing’s recognised qualifications, but also for broader, social policy-focused courses where an understanding of housing as a social policy issue is necessary.

For more information about Introducing Affordable Housing visit:
http://www.cih.org/publications/pub128.htm

For more information about the Practice Studies series visit http:
//www.cih.org/practice/studies

Publication Updates

Publication Updates is a new service brought to you by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), it is an e-communication that will keep you up-to-date with information on CIH publications and special offers. Subscribe today to this free service. For more information about Publication Updates visit:
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DASS SEMINAR SERIES - UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING

2009-10-13T15:02:00.002+01:00

5TH KEYWORD SEMINAR: REVISTING 'EVIDENCE' AND 'PRACTICE', 11th November 2009

An event hosted by the Governance, Participation and Inclusion Research Group, Department of Applied Social Sciences, University of Stirling, aimed at exploring contemporary keywords in the applied social sciences in a way which links theory, policy, research and practice from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Confirmed speakers include: Hal Pawson, Ian Sanderson, Isobel Anderson and Huw Davies, and the event will be chaired by: Richard Simmons

Further details and registration at:
http://www.dass.stir.ac.uk/old-site/evidence/

NEWS FROM CRESR

2009-10-13T14:51:00.004+01:00

Understanding and Evaluating the Impact of the North Staffordshire Landlord Accreditation Scheme

A team of researchers from CRESR have been commissioned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council to evaluate the impact of Landlord accreditation and associated services to tenants and Landlords provided as part of the scheme. The research will investigate the impact that Landlord accreditation has had on the private rented sector across North Staffordshire, particularly in terms of improving housing conditions for tenants. The evaluation will also assess the perceptions of Landlords and tenants and provide recommendations on the future development of the accreditation scheme. A final report will be produced in January 2010. For information about this study please contact Paul Hickman: p.g.hickman@shu.ac.uk

New Deal for Communities Evaluation
A series of detailed reports has recently been published by CRESR as part of the ten year national evaluation of New Deal for Communities. The NDC Programme is one of the more interesting Area Based Initiatives ever launched In England in that community driven partnerships are aiming to transform 39 very deprived neighbourhoods over ten years. The most recent tranche of outputs includes reports on worklessness, an analysis of change data for the 2002-2008 period, exploration of change for those who stayed in NDC areas between 2002 and 2006, and an examination of relationships between outcomes and community engagement. The Reports can be accessed at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/publications/all/

For more information about the NDC evaluation please contact Paul Lawless: p.l.lawless@shu.ac.uk

CRESR seminar series
There are two seminars over the next month as part of the 2009/10 CRESR seminar series, all are welcome:

28 October 2009 4pm, 9130, Furnival Building, City Campus
Ian Rotherham - Sheffield Hallam University
Ecology: A Luxury or a Driver for Regional Regeneration?

18 November 2009 4pm, 9130, Furnival Building, City Campus
Rebecca Tunstall - London School of Economics
Housing and Children's Life Chances, 1946-2000

For more information about the CRESR seminar series please contact Ryan Powell: r.s.powell@shu.ac.uk

Research Reports:

Flint, J., Powell, R., Casey, R., Pearce, S., Moore, T. and Green, S. (2009) A Study to Examine Local Barriers to the Delivery of Affordable Housing in Rural Wales. Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University.

This research examines the barriers to the delivery of affordable housing in rural Wales and also identifies key enabling factors and good practice. The Report presents findings and sets out recommendations for local authorities, local planning authorities and the Welsh Assembly Government and is available to download in both English and Welsh at: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/planning/planningresearch/publishedresearch/affordablehousing/

For further information about this study please contact John Flint: j.f.flint@shu.ac.uk

ISA HOUSING CONFERENCE - SOME REFLECTIONS

2009-09-09T09:42:00.002+01:00

Housing Assets, Housing People

A research conference for ISA RC 43 was held in Glasgow, Scotland, from September 1-4 2009. The conference was hosted by the Department of Urban Studies at the University of Glasgow. It was chaired by Kenneth Gibb, vice-convener of RC43. The purpose of the conference was to exchange international experience about the causes, impacts and policy responses associated with the credit crunch and major housing-economic recessions afflicting neighbourhoods, communities, cities and regions in different parts of the contemporary global economy.

The Housing Studies Association was a partner organisation to the conference and hosted a well-received special panel session on the future of housing tenure. This session was chaired by Paul Hickman and featured contributions form Dave Mullins, Hal Pawson and Duncan Maclennan.

In total, more than 220 delegates from 40+ countries participated in the successful four day conference. The Minister for housing and communities in the Scottish Government, Mr Alex Neil, addressed the conference at its opening plenary session. There were three plenary sessions featuring notable housing academics (Professors Dan Immergluck, Duncan Maclennan, Susan Smith, Yosuke Hiramaya and Chris Hamnett) who presented papers including a discussion of the madness of mortgage lenders (Hamnett) and a plea for more relevant evidenced-based housing policies fit for the present times (Maclennan). Smith presented a performativity-based case for introducing a house price futures financial instrument that is purported to reduce market volatility and allow households to hedge against capital losses. Hirayama provided an impressive overview of the current situation in Japan including a detailed account of unprecedented levels of urban homelessness in the capital, Tokyo. Immergluck set out the depth and geography of foreclosures in the United States.

The conference also featured, in addition to the HSA’s panel, a number of special sessions and more than 160 papers presented across a range of parallel sessions that ran throughout the conference. The conference was held in the iconic Mitchell Library in the city centre and use was also made for social events at the City’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, as well as the Peoples’ Palace Museum. There was also a full range of study tours and an urban housing archive kindly provided by the Mitchell Library. The conference organisers are very grateful to the support of a number of sponsors who contributed massively to the success of the conference:

• International Sociological Association
• Glasgow Housing Association
• Scottish Government
• Glasgow city council
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation
• Northern Ireland Housing Executive
• Taylor and Francis
• Emerald
• Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland
• Scottish Federation of Housing Associations

Further information on papers, presentations and useful links can be found at the conference website http://www.gla.ac.uk/events/housing/

Kenneth Gibb
Conference Chair
Department of Urban Studies
University of Glasgow

NEWS FROM CLG

2009-09-09T09:41:00.002+01:00

See link below to the 2007/08 Citizenship Survey reports on Community Cohesion and Identity and Values:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1320418

NEW ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

2009-09-09T09:39:00.000+01:00

Parr, S. (2009) "Confronting the reality of anti-social behaviour", Theoretical Criminology 13(3): 363–381.

NEWS FROM CRESR

2009-09-09T09:36:00.002+01:00

NEW PROJECTS

Evaluation of projects under three European Commission Funds
This evaluation, commissioned by the UK Borders Agency, will evaluate projects delivered under three European Commission Funds designed to support managed migration into and out of the UK. These projects include the Gateway Protection Programme, a scheme through which the UK accepts up to 750 refugees a year under an international resettlement programme run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). For more information about this study please contact David Robinson (d.robinson@shu.ac.uk).

Citizenship, Community Cohesion and Perceived Inclusion among Young People
This DCSF commissioned project aims to describe the variation in levels of community cohesion, citizenship orientations and perceived inclusion among a cohort of young people. This will involve multi-level analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England and the Youth Cohort Study in a bid to provide possible explanations of any significant variations found. For more information about this study please contact David Robinson (d.robinson@shu.ac.uk).

ALAN HOLMAN RETIRES

2009-09-07T13:38:00.002+01:00

On Friday 28 August some 35 people gathered in Cambridge for a seminar entitled ‘Housing requirements, housing demand and housing policy’ to mark the retirement of Alan Holmans from the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research. In addition to a series of substantive papers, tributes were paid to Alan’s contributions to housing research and policy over many years, initially as chief economic adviser at the Ministry of Housing and Local Government and Department of the Environment from 1968 to 1994, and latterly as Research Fellow at CCHPR. Alan was given no choice about retiring from the Civil Service at 60 but Christine Whitehead made it clear that this time a desk will remain available to him, and that colleagues at CCPHR expect to continue working with him on a part time basis for some time to come. Alan also served as an HSA committee member for many years, and the committee would like to thank him for his contribution, and his dedication to the role of Treasurer.

NEWS FROM CCHPR

2009-09-07T13:36:00.000+01:00

Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning research has recently been commissioned by Communities and Local Government to evaluate the Enhanced Housing Options Trailblazers. This project, which will run over the next two years will evaluate the implementation, operation and success of the 42 Trailblazers programmes.

The Enhanced Housing Options Trailblazers are being run by CLG with support from the DWP. They aim to develop innovative approaches to delivering housing options/advice services, by offering housing advice to people with low and medium housing need as well as those with acute need, and also by linking housing advice to wider advice about a range of issues such as training and employment, financial management, and access to benefits. There is also a focus on making better use of existing social housing stock, and greater use of the private rented sector.

The evaluation is being lead by CCHPR, with involvement from Birmingham University (Centre for Urban and Regional Analysis) and Shared Intelligence.

CONFERENCE ON THE HISTORY OF THE TENANTS' MOVEMENT

2009-08-13T10:23:00.002+01:00

Tenants' Movement: a hidden history

A conference organised by Leeds Tenants Federation and Ad Ed Knowledge Company spotlighting research into housing struggles and the history of the tenants’ movement.

On Saturday 17 October 2009 at the Thackray Museum, Beckett Street Leeds LS9 7LN.

Speakers confirmed to date:

• Kim Singleton: Kirby Rent Strikes of 1971

• Paul Burnham: London Squatters in 1946

• Stewart Smyth: How accountable is social housing?

• John Grayson: Tenants in South Yorkshire

• Tony Cox: Problems and Potential: Scottish Housing Campaigns 2004-2009

• Quintin Bradley: Leeds Rent Strikes 1914 & 1934: the formation of a tenants’ movement

Short presentations are invited for an Open House session or to contribute to other workshops (for example, rent strikes of the 1970s, anti-transfer campaigns).

If you wish to contribute a paper, please contact: q.bradley@leedstenants.org.uk or j.grayson@phonecoop.coop

The conference costs £20 (or free to members of tenants and residents organisations and community organisations). To register, please fill in the attached form and send it with a cheque made payable to ‘Leeds Tenants Federation’ to Leeds Tenants Federation, Freepost NEA14248, Leeds LS2 3YY.

PRIZE AWARDED TO UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW ACADEMIC

2009-08-04T12:18:00.000+01:00

Gwilym Pryce's paper "Social Segmentation, Housing Submarkets and Dwelling Substitutability" won the The Hypoteční Banka Award for the best European Network of Housing Research 2009 Conference Paper.

NEWS FROM CLG

2009-08-04T12:17:00.001+01:00

New publications from CLG include:

Attitudes to Housing: Findings from Ipsos MORI Public Affairs Monitor Omnibus Survey

Attitudes to Housing: Findings from Focus Groups

Exploring local authority policy and practice on housing allocations

The research can be accessed at:
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/housingoptionsattitudes

NEW PUBLICATION FROM CIH

2009-08-04T12:12:00.001+01:00

Homelessness in the UK: problems and solutions
Editors: Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Deborah Quilgars and Nicholas Pleace

Homelessness is one of the most distressing and visible of social problems, and the treatment of homeless people is often viewed as emblematic of a society’s commitment to social justice. Homelessness has been central to successive Labour governments’ ‘social exclusion’ agendas since they first took office in 1997, with street homelessness in particular given a very high policy profile. While devolution since 1999 has brought about significant divergence in homelessness policies across the UK, its prominence in public policy debates is shared across all four UK jurisdictions.

This book examines the contemporary nature of homelessness in the UK and responses to it, focusing on developments since 1997, but placing these in their broader historical context. It is research-based but policy-focused – emphasising those issues which are most relevant to housing students, policy-makers, and practitioners. It considers not only the ‘problems’ associated with homelessness, but also the ‘solutions’ that have been identified as effective means to prevent and/or address homelessness.

See the full publications list online at www.cih.org/publications

Order no: 129
Price: CIH member price £28.00 Non-member price £35.00

NEWS FROM PLANNING DEPARTMENT, QUB

2009-08-04T12:11:00.001+01:00

New research funding

Dr Michael Murray has won funding from the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland, to establish a cross-border research network that will explore healthy ageing in rural communities. The network will draw on interdisciplinary expertise in the areas of gerontology, spatial planning, rural geography, economics, social care, and public health. The other partners are the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology and the Geography Department at the National University of Ireland Galway, The Centre for Clinical and Population Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, and the Rural Community Network.

NEWS FROM CRESR

2009-08-04T12:07:00.001+01:00

A Process Evaluation of 'Celtic Against Drugs' and 'Rangers Positive Choices' Programmes

A team of researchers from CRESR and the HPPU at the University of Stirling have been commissioned by the Scottish Government to evaluate two government-funded education and diversionary projects for young people delivered by Celtic and Rangers football clubs. The schemes work with primary school age children from deprived neighbourhoods in Glasgow and combine football coaching and other activities with education about drugs, alcohol, health and diet, sectarianism and racism. The evaluation will assess the management, monitoring, referral and delivery of the two projects and their initial outcomes. A final report will be produced in December 2009.

For information about this study please contact John Flint: j.f.flint@shu.ac.uk

NEW ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

2009-08-04T11:59:00.002+01:00

Flint, J. (2009) 'Migrant Information Packs and the Colonisation of Civility in the UK', Space and Polity 13(2): 127-140.

Flint, J. (2009) 'Cultures, Ghettos and Camps: Sites of Exception and Antagonism in the City', Housing Studies 24(4): 417- 431.

Flint, J. (2009) 'Subversive Subjects and Conditional, Earned and Denied Citizenship', In M. Barnes and D. Prior (Eds.) Subversive Citizens: Power, Agency and Resistance in Public Services (Bristol: Policy Press), pp. 83-98.

Flint, J. (2009) On the Governance of Social Housing, in D. Czischke (Ed.) Urban Regeneration in Europe: The Place of Housing in Integrated Urban Policies- Current Perspectives (Brussels: CECODHAS European Social Housing Observatory), pp. 35- 44.

Flint, J. and Powell, R. (2009) 'Civilising Offensives: Education, Football and "Eradicating" Sectarianism in Scotland', In A. Millie (Ed.) Securing Respect: Behavioural Expectations and Anti-social Behaviour in the UK (Bristol: Policy Press), pp. 219-238

Levin, E. and Pryce, G. (2009) A regional house price model of excess demand for housing, RICS Research Report May 2009, ISBN: 978-1-84219-510-9.

McKee, K. (2009) 'Empowering Glasgow's Tenants through Community Ownership?' Local Economy 24(4): 299-309.

Murray , M, Houston , D, Keaveney, K, McKay, S, and Murtagh, B, (2009) 'Economic Diversification in the Countryside', Town Planning Review 80(2): 201-226.

Parr, S. and Nixon, J. (2009) 'Family Intervention Projects: Sites of Subversion and Resilience', In M. Barnes and D. Prior (Eds.) Subversive Citizens: Power, agency and resistance in public services (Bristol: Policy Press)

Pryce, G. and Sprigings, N. (2009) Outlook for UK housing and the implications for policy: Are we reaping what we have sown?, International Journal of Housing Market Analysis, 2(2): 145-166.

Pryce, G. (2009) Responding to the Impending Repossessions Crisis, Housing Analysis and Surveys Expert Panel Papers, 7, Communities and Local Government.

EARLY-CAREER ARTICLE

2009-07-07T09:52:00.003+01:00

New Arrangements for Community Governance: The Community Land Trust Model

Community Land Trusts (CLTs), as non-profit community controlled organisations which are created to own and manage assets for the benefit of their local community, present themselves as a viable route through which issues of worsening housing affordability and community cohesion can be resolved. CLTs seek to provide affordable housing in perpetuity by building and selling housing at rates that are affordable as possible to their local community while imposing resale conditions to ensure the homes remain affordable for future generations (Clarke, 2005). Further to this, as community-led organisations, CLTs offer a vehicle through which the government's community empowerment agenda can be realised (Communities and Local Government, 2008). This paper briefly presents empirical findings of a recent survey conducted as a precursor to a forthcoming detailed qualitative study of the CLT model.

Conducted between March and May 2009, the research surveyed a number of CLTs across England and Wales with the intention of mapping the characteristics of the organisations, their organisational structures, wider aims and objectives, and factors which may have facilitated or hindered their development. In total 22 CLTs were surveyed via e-mail, garnering 10 responses. All respondents were based in rural areas, despite efforts to make contact with urban CLTs.

As expected, the desire to provide affordable housing in perpetuity was the main motivation for the formation of CLTs, with many seeing this as a route towards wider community regeneration and development and acting as a source of community empowerment. Other motivations vary from a wish to address socio-economic imbalances and hone greater economic sustainability in their local area to concerns over the loss of support networks and the inability of families to remain in their local area due to escalating house price/wage ratios. Many CLTs see their future as a possible community anchor organisation, governed by community representatives and providing an impetus to community development based on the principles of mutuality, local democracy, and an overarching philosophy of localising power.

The CLTs in this survey adopted legal structures to ensure recognition of their philanthropic status (for example, some are registered as Industrial & Provident Societies), and generally have governance boards composed of voluntary trustees and representatives of external stakeholders such as the wider local community, local authority officials, and professionals able to provide particular forms of expertise. Different organisational structures exist, ranging from small CLTs formed by a group of individuals in a local community, to larger 'umbrella' bodies over larger geographical areas which provide technical advice and support to smaller groups in the area. Examples of these bodies can be found in rural Wales and in Cornwall.

The CLTs featured in this survey have utilised an array of financial models; some have sought charitable investment, while others have benefited from supportive local authorities able to make grants and provide interest-free loans to support their development. Others have sought subsidy from the Homes & Communities Agency, with a trust in the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland recently becoming the first trust to successfully obtain HCA funding. However, whilst CLTs such as the one based in St Minver in Cornwall have been able to take advantage of a local authority willing to support their objectives, others have faced difficulties in accessing affordable finance, due in part to a lack of knowledge on the operation and possible effectiveness of the CLT model, as well as lukewarm responses from possible partnering organisations. This links to a common thread through many of the survey responses which identified a lack of understanding and a misfit of cultures between CLTs and external stakeholding bodies which they are required to engage with. The scale and objectives of CLTs differ from the majority of mainstream housing provision and many CLTs attributed their drawn out pre-development processes to the inability of official bodies such as planning departments and financial providers to develop clear development processes appropriate to the scale of voluntary based community-led development. CLTs aim to complement rather than compete with other housing providers, creating an alternative sector of housing away from the mainstream market, though some have still been able to work within existing frameworks to meet their objectives.

What can be done to resolve these conflicts? Support for CLTs has been expressed across the political spectrum. Communities and Local Government have held a Community Land Trust Consultation on how best to develop a thriving sector of CLT housing, while the Conservatives have formed a Community Land Trust Taskforce orientated to a similar objective of identifying obstacles to the sector's development and how best to resolve them. Clearly, there needs to be a 'bridge' formed between the support at a central level of the political system and the communities hindered by the lack of clear lines of communication, transforming the support for CLTs into practice and developing a supportive framework in which they can operate and mutual benefits can be derived. A common theme in the empirical findings reported here was the call for a revolving loan fund available to communities to fund developments, provided at affordable rates of interest which CLTs could access and pay back to allow the subsidy to be recycled for other communities.

Community Land Trusts appear to represent a burgeoning example of community empowerment in practice. The concept is not new; the longstanding work of trusts such as Letchworth Garden City and Stonesfield Community Trust highlight how the model can operate as a vehicle for community regeneration, but interest in the model has significantly reawakened in recent years in light of the affordability crisis in the mainstream housing market. However, as this brief discussion has intended to demonstrate, there remain obstacles to the sector's development which, from the perspective of local communities, may question the government's true commitment to the community empowerment agenda. Indeed, the recent Audit Commission report of local authority asset management revealed that over half of the eighty local authorities surveyed doubt the asset management ability of the voluntary and community sector, suggesting a clear reluctance to engage with community ownership agendas (Audit Commission, 2009).

Research by Satsangi (2007; 2009) has shown how the economic, social and political relationships of housing provision have been positively altered by land tenure reform in rural Scotland. While the legislative framework in Scotland differs from the English context in that Scottish policies provide clear support and opportunities for organisations like CLTs to prosper, Satsangi’s research provides an introduction to the way in which community-led development and community ownership can provoke localised democratic and pluralistic power structures and bring benefits to a locality. Further research is needed to contribute to the development of knowledge on CLTs, and to offer a better understanding of the extent to which CLTs can empower local communities with greater control and influence of their own destinies based on the principles of mutuality and local democracy.

Thomas Moore (tom.moore@student.shu.ac.uk)
CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University

References
Audit Commission (2009). Room for Improvement: Strategic asset management in local government. Available online from http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/AuditCommissionReports/NationalStudies/roomforimprovement17jun2009REP.pdf

Clarke, R et al (2005) Redefining the Commons: Locking in Value through Community Land Trusts. Coalville: Building and Social Housing Foundation.

Communities and Local Government (2008) Communities in Control: Real People, Real Power. London: Department of Communities and Local Government.

Satsangi, M (2007). Land tenure change and rural housing in Scotland. Scottish Geographical Journal, Volume 123 (1), pp33 - 47.

Satsangi, M (2009). Community Land Ownership, Housing and Sustainable Rural Communities. Planning, Practice and Research, Volume 24 (2), pp251 - 262.