Showing posts with label Affordable Housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Affordable Housing. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 November 2013
Sustainable Access for Starters on the the Amsterdam Housing Market - Centre for Urban Studies, The University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
This report has been commissioned by the Ministry of Interior Affairs in the Netherlands and conducted by four researchers from the Centre for Urban Studies: Richard Ronald, Willem Boterman, Cody Hochstenbach and Marijn Sleurink. The executive summary is available for download from Center for Urban Studies
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Attracting institutional investment in Australia's affordable rental housing
Reports from an Investigative Panel on facilitating institutional investment in Australia’s rental housing were published in March 2013. Click here for further details.
Funded by the Australian Housing & Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and convened by UNSW City Futures Associate Professor Vivienne Milligan, the Panel brought together experts from the financial sector, the housing industry and community agencies. Its brief was to advise government on how to encourage financial institutions (e.g. pension funds) to invest in rental housing development, especially at the affordable end of the market.
The Panel found that with strong government leadership and long-term commitment large scale institutional financing in rental housing is both desirable and feasible. A detailed strategy for the development of a new residential asset class was recommended.
In addressing the widely acknowledged need to diversify sources of rental investment finance beyond ‘mum and dad investors’, the Panel’s reports lie close to the cutting edge of current housing policy debates, both in Australia and internationally. Reflecting this, an international comparative paper drawing on the investigative panel report was presented by Hal Pawson and Vivienne Milligan at the recent Housing Studies Association conference. Click here to download the report. City Futures is also contributing to a follow-up RMIT university-led study on social housing guarantees also being funded by AHURI Ltd.
Funded by the Australian Housing & Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and convened by UNSW City Futures Associate Professor Vivienne Milligan, the Panel brought together experts from the financial sector, the housing industry and community agencies. Its brief was to advise government on how to encourage financial institutions (e.g. pension funds) to invest in rental housing development, especially at the affordable end of the market.
The Panel found that with strong government leadership and long-term commitment large scale institutional financing in rental housing is both desirable and feasible. A detailed strategy for the development of a new residential asset class was recommended.
In addressing the widely acknowledged need to diversify sources of rental investment finance beyond ‘mum and dad investors’, the Panel’s reports lie close to the cutting edge of current housing policy debates, both in Australia and internationally. Reflecting this, an international comparative paper drawing on the investigative panel report was presented by Hal Pawson and Vivienne Milligan at the recent Housing Studies Association conference. Click here to download the report. City Futures is also contributing to a follow-up RMIT university-led study on social housing guarantees also being funded by AHURI Ltd.
Monday, 25 March 2013
News from JRF
CALLS FOR PROPOSALS
Poverty focussed review of housing organisations strategic and business plans
This project will explore where poverty fits within the strategies, policies and business plans of local authorities, housing associations and private landlords. For further details click here
Links between housing and poverty over the life course
This call is for a critical review of evidence that will consider how housing of all tenure types can mitigate or exacerbate poverty. This includes the likelihood of people being in poverty and exiting it; as well as what aspects of housing act to mitigate or exacerbate poverty. Further information is available here
PUBLICATIONS
Innovative financing of affordable housing
Kenneth Gibb, Duncan Maclennan and Mark Stephens examine what can we learn from international and UK best practice that could help support the expanded financing of affordable housing supply?
In a challenging economic climate, innovation is needed to stretch limited public subsidy and increase private contributions to help deliver additional affordable housing. This study:
Changes to affordable housing in London and implications for delivery - Ben Harrison, Joanna Wilson and Jenifer Johnson
The demand for property, the mix of tenures and households, the difference in affordability of renting or buying, and the levels of acute housing need, all distinguish the London housing market from England as a whole. These have major implications for the delivery of affordable housing.
This Viewpoint:
The links between housing and poverty -
Rebacca Tunstall et al. examine how housing can mitigate or exacerbate the impact of poverty on people's lives.Poverty and low incomes prevent people from accessing potential housing options, and make others hard to sustain.
This study analyses the past decade of UK evidence to explore:
Poverty focussed review of housing organisations strategic and business plans
This project will explore where poverty fits within the strategies, policies and business plans of local authorities, housing associations and private landlords. For further details click here
Links between housing and poverty over the life course
This call is for a critical review of evidence that will consider how housing of all tenure types can mitigate or exacerbate poverty. This includes the likelihood of people being in poverty and exiting it; as well as what aspects of housing act to mitigate or exacerbate poverty. Further information is available here
PUBLICATIONS
Innovative financing of affordable housing
Kenneth Gibb, Duncan Maclennan and Mark Stephens examine what can we learn from international and UK best practice that could help support the expanded financing of affordable housing supply?
In a challenging economic climate, innovation is needed to stretch limited public subsidy and increase private contributions to help deliver additional affordable housing. This study:
- explores emerging themes in the financing of affordable housing;
- highlights promising policies from the UK and abroad that provide innovative funding ideas to increase supply;
- concludes that long-term housing policy needs to address market failures and permanently reduce housing market volatility, which would mean re-examining housing taxation and the safety net for vulnerable home-owners, as well as supporting the rented sector’s wider market role.
Changes to affordable housing in London and implications for delivery - Ben Harrison, Joanna Wilson and Jenifer Johnson
The demand for property, the mix of tenures and households, the difference in affordability of renting or buying, and the levels of acute housing need, all distinguish the London housing market from England as a whole. These have major implications for the delivery of affordable housing.
This Viewpoint:
- summarises a number of relevant housing indicators;
- sets out the key housing policy reforms undertaken by the Coalition Government; and
- explores the implications of these for London practitioners;
- argues that London needs a new, sustainable delivery model for new housing, underpinned by clear definitions of 'affordability' and 'housing need'.
The links between housing and poverty -
Rebacca Tunstall et al. examine how housing can mitigate or exacerbate the impact of poverty on people's lives.Poverty and low incomes prevent people from accessing potential housing options, and make others hard to sustain.
This study analyses the past decade of UK evidence to explore:
- the relationship between housing circumstances and the experience of poverty;
- the relative importance of housing cost, quality and location and other factors in the impact of poverty on people's lives; and
- the role of housing in enabling people to take up employment and increase income from work.
Monday, 10 September 2012
News from Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research
New publication -
Measuring the affordability of housing association rents in England: a dual approach
A new journal article has been published by Dr Connie Tang in the latest issue of the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis. The purpose of this article is to compare relative levels of rental affordability across the English housing association sector, using two methods, rent-to-income ratio and residual income standards (poverty-line and budget standard). The rent-to-income ratio analysis identified that housing association rents were generally affordable. However, the residual income analyses using two different minimum acceptable standards suggested some scepticism in this regard. In particular, both analyses confirmed the affordability problem in London where nearly half of existing housing association tenants had disposable household incomes that were well below the poverty-line as well as the largest rent-to-income ratio. Both analyses also confirmed that lone parents were more likely than average households to have an affordability problem.
The article is published in the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 5, Issue: 3, pp.218 - 234. You can access the article online by this link: Measuring the affordability of housing association rents in England: a duel approach
New projects
Welfare reform
CCHPR is working with Ipsos Mori on a major new study for the National Housing Foundation on the impact of welfare reform. The work, which will report in 2014 aims to focus particularly on the impact of welfare reform for the housing association sector and its tenants. It will monitor the impact of reforms as they come into operation next year, including the cuts to housing benefit for under-occupiers of working age, and the changes to the method of payment brought in under Universal Credit.
Maximising the performance of the new Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy Planning Framework with Local Authorities: Developing a Planning Gain Model
The Centre is currently developing a simple model to estimate the impact of charging different CIL and S106 rates on the economic viability of development. The model has huge potential to assist local authorities in modelling the impact of different CIL and S106 rates on the economic viability of development across their area. We propose a project to further develop the model for local authority use. We will work with a sample of local authorities to test and refine the model with a view to eventually making it publicly available for use by local authorities to assist in developing their new CIL and S106 charging frameworks. This will transfer our academic knowledge and expertise into a tool that can be used by local authorities in policy and practice.
Evaluation of lighting interventions
CCHPR is currently starting three separate small evaluations of lighting interventions in housing settings for the Thomas Pocklington Trust. The impact on health wellbeing and reduction in falls will be examined.
Analysis of the PRS in Richmond and surrounding areas
Richmond Council, together with Richmond Housing Partnership, are currently jointly commissioning research in order form the evidence base of their tenancy strategy. This work will help supplement this evidence base by improving understanding of the private rented sector in and nearby to Richmond with a particular focus on the availability of housing for low income groups.
Developing best practice in social care and support for adults with concurrent sight loss and dementia within different housing settings
This project, funded by the National Institute for Health Research seeks to develop best practice in social care and support for people with dementia and sight loss in a range of housing settings. The research is led by York University and CCHPR will lead the element of the study that looks at the costs of care in different settings.
Channel Islands housing markets
An overview of housing markets and their economic context in the Channel Islands, based upon secondary data, has been commissioned by One Savings Bank.
Conference papers
Dr Gemma Burgess, Sarah Monk and Christine Whitehead all presented papers at the European Network for Housing Researchers conference in June. Their presentations were:
The role of regulation in the private rented sector: a comparative study (by Christine Whitehead, Sarah Monk, Sanna Markkanen, Kathleen Scanlon and Connie Tang) conducted case studies of eleven European countries to clarify how regulation had changed over the last thirty years and what impact this has had on the scale of private rental provision.
The role of the planning system in delivering housing choice to older Londoners (Sarah Monk and Gemma Burgess) draws on recent research into the role of the planning system in delivering specialist older people’s housing to explore the barriers to increased delivery and make recommendations for change.
Housing an Ageing Population: Housing Options and the Value of Information and Advice to Older People in England (Gemma Burgess) drew on ongoing work evaluating advice services for older people in England.
Measuring the affordability of housing association rents in England: a dual approach
A new journal article has been published by Dr Connie Tang in the latest issue of the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis. The purpose of this article is to compare relative levels of rental affordability across the English housing association sector, using two methods, rent-to-income ratio and residual income standards (poverty-line and budget standard). The rent-to-income ratio analysis identified that housing association rents were generally affordable. However, the residual income analyses using two different minimum acceptable standards suggested some scepticism in this regard. In particular, both analyses confirmed the affordability problem in London where nearly half of existing housing association tenants had disposable household incomes that were well below the poverty-line as well as the largest rent-to-income ratio. Both analyses also confirmed that lone parents were more likely than average households to have an affordability problem.
The article is published in the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 5, Issue: 3, pp.218 - 234. You can access the article online by this link: Measuring the affordability of housing association rents in England: a duel approach
New projects
Welfare reform
CCHPR is working with Ipsos Mori on a major new study for the National Housing Foundation on the impact of welfare reform. The work, which will report in 2014 aims to focus particularly on the impact of welfare reform for the housing association sector and its tenants. It will monitor the impact of reforms as they come into operation next year, including the cuts to housing benefit for under-occupiers of working age, and the changes to the method of payment brought in under Universal Credit.
Maximising the performance of the new Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy Planning Framework with Local Authorities: Developing a Planning Gain Model
The Centre is currently developing a simple model to estimate the impact of charging different CIL and S106 rates on the economic viability of development. The model has huge potential to assist local authorities in modelling the impact of different CIL and S106 rates on the economic viability of development across their area. We propose a project to further develop the model for local authority use. We will work with a sample of local authorities to test and refine the model with a view to eventually making it publicly available for use by local authorities to assist in developing their new CIL and S106 charging frameworks. This will transfer our academic knowledge and expertise into a tool that can be used by local authorities in policy and practice.
Evaluation of lighting interventions
CCHPR is currently starting three separate small evaluations of lighting interventions in housing settings for the Thomas Pocklington Trust. The impact on health wellbeing and reduction in falls will be examined.
Analysis of the PRS in Richmond and surrounding areas
Richmond Council, together with Richmond Housing Partnership, are currently jointly commissioning research in order form the evidence base of their tenancy strategy. This work will help supplement this evidence base by improving understanding of the private rented sector in and nearby to Richmond with a particular focus on the availability of housing for low income groups.
Developing best practice in social care and support for adults with concurrent sight loss and dementia within different housing settings
This project, funded by the National Institute for Health Research seeks to develop best practice in social care and support for people with dementia and sight loss in a range of housing settings. The research is led by York University and CCHPR will lead the element of the study that looks at the costs of care in different settings.
Channel Islands housing markets
An overview of housing markets and their economic context in the Channel Islands, based upon secondary data, has been commissioned by One Savings Bank.
Conference papers
Dr Gemma Burgess, Sarah Monk and Christine Whitehead all presented papers at the European Network for Housing Researchers conference in June. Their presentations were:
The role of regulation in the private rented sector: a comparative study (by Christine Whitehead, Sarah Monk, Sanna Markkanen, Kathleen Scanlon and Connie Tang) conducted case studies of eleven European countries to clarify how regulation had changed over the last thirty years and what impact this has had on the scale of private rental provision.
The role of the planning system in delivering housing choice to older Londoners (Sarah Monk and Gemma Burgess) draws on recent research into the role of the planning system in delivering specialist older people’s housing to explore the barriers to increased delivery and make recommendations for change.
Housing an Ageing Population: Housing Options and the Value of Information and Advice to Older People in England (Gemma Burgess) drew on ongoing work evaluating advice services for older people in England.
Friday, 13 July 2012
NEWS FROM CAMBRIDGE CENTRE FOR HOUSING AND PLANNING RESEARCH
New research publications
Housing in Transition: Understanding the dynamics of tenure change
The Resolution Foundation and Shelter funded CCHPR to examine likely future tenure trends in England ( and London) through to 2025 under three economic scenarios - weak, moderate and robust recoveries. Using Survey of English Housing data, the study looked at the impact on low to middle income households and families with children. The report is posted on the CCHPR site. Taken together with a look back to trends from 1993, in summary, what it showed was the scale of tenure transformation that has taken place so far and will probably take place in the future - especially when you drill down to specific household types and in London. It also pointed up the weakness of taking home ownership as one tenure category rather than broken down into mortgaged and owned outright -these two components have trajectories moving in opposite directions which are obscured by treating them together. The report can be downloaded from www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=276
Understanding the second-hand market for shared ownership properties
Around a third of shared ownership market is for second-hand homes, where they new buyer purchases the share from the existing shared owner. This report, commissioned by Thames Valley Housing Association explores the operation of the second-hand market for shared ownership properties. It also examines the practice of ‘staircasing’, whereby a shared owner may purchase additional shares of their home.
It draws on a survey of housing associations, focus groups with shared owners and interviews with mortgage lenders and other stakeholders, this report examines the functioning of the second-hand market for shared ownership homes in England. It can be downloaded from
www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=275
Capturing Planning Gain – The Transition from Section 106 to the Community Infrastructure Levy
The Community Infrastructure Levy came into force in April 2010 (DCLG, 2011a). It allows local authorities in England and Wales to raise funds from developers undertaking new building projects in their area and the money can be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed as a result of development. This research explores the issues arising in the transition to the new system.
The Community Infrastructure Levy, with a scaled back S106, is broadly welcomed by local authorities and most local authorities are planning to introduce a CIL within the next three years. The main finding from the research is that, whilst seen as a positive change, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the CIL – how to develop the evidence base, how to determine an appropriate charging schedule, how to use S106 alongside the CIL and how to collect the CIL funds. The report can be downloaded from www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=277
Rural housing at a time of economic change
This research was funded by the Commission for Rural Communities in order to improve understanding of likely future changes in housing markets in rural areas in England in the wider context of changing housing market pressures and government policies on affordable housing and Housing Benefit. It aimed to provide up-to-date evidence to enable CRC, Defra and other government agencies to influence housing policy at national and local levels and ensure that these policies are rural-proofed. The research objectives were to develop a new understanding of:
1. The changing levels of rents (both private and social) and the quality and location of available housing.
2. The impact of recent and forthcoming government policies on social and private tenants, including the changes to Housing Benefit and the overall benefit caps.
3. Migration: The numbers of people forced to relocate from rural areas, or unable to live where they would choose to do so
The research aimed to explore differences between rural areas, as well as between rural and urban areas overall and can be downloaded here: www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=274
The Resolution Foundation and Shelter funded CCHPR to examine likely future tenure trends in England ( and London) through to 2025 under three economic scenarios - weak, moderate and robust recoveries. Using Survey of English Housing data, the study looked at the impact on low to middle income households and families with children. The report is posted on the CCHPR site. Taken together with a look back to trends from 1993, in summary, what it showed was the scale of tenure transformation that has taken place so far and will probably take place in the future - especially when you drill down to specific household types and in London. It also pointed up the weakness of taking home ownership as one tenure category rather than broken down into mortgaged and owned outright -these two components have trajectories moving in opposite directions which are obscured by treating them together. The report can be downloaded from www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=276
Understanding the second-hand market for shared ownership properties
Around a third of shared ownership market is for second-hand homes, where they new buyer purchases the share from the existing shared owner. This report, commissioned by Thames Valley Housing Association explores the operation of the second-hand market for shared ownership properties. It also examines the practice of ‘staircasing’, whereby a shared owner may purchase additional shares of their home.
It draws on a survey of housing associations, focus groups with shared owners and interviews with mortgage lenders and other stakeholders, this report examines the functioning of the second-hand market for shared ownership homes in England. It can be downloaded from
www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=275
Capturing Planning Gain – The Transition from Section 106 to the Community Infrastructure Levy
The Community Infrastructure Levy came into force in April 2010 (DCLG, 2011a). It allows local authorities in England and Wales to raise funds from developers undertaking new building projects in their area and the money can be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed as a result of development. This research explores the issues arising in the transition to the new system.
The Community Infrastructure Levy, with a scaled back S106, is broadly welcomed by local authorities and most local authorities are planning to introduce a CIL within the next three years. The main finding from the research is that, whilst seen as a positive change, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the CIL – how to develop the evidence base, how to determine an appropriate charging schedule, how to use S106 alongside the CIL and how to collect the CIL funds. The report can be downloaded from www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=277
Rural housing at a time of economic change
This research was funded by the Commission for Rural Communities in order to improve understanding of likely future changes in housing markets in rural areas in England in the wider context of changing housing market pressures and government policies on affordable housing and Housing Benefit. It aimed to provide up-to-date evidence to enable CRC, Defra and other government agencies to influence housing policy at national and local levels and ensure that these policies are rural-proofed. The research objectives were to develop a new understanding of:
1. The changing levels of rents (both private and social) and the quality and location of available housing.
2. The impact of recent and forthcoming government policies on social and private tenants, including the changes to Housing Benefit and the overall benefit caps.
3. Migration: The numbers of people forced to relocate from rural areas, or unable to live where they would choose to do so
The research aimed to explore differences between rural areas, as well as between rural and urban areas overall and can be downloaded here: www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/outputs/detail.asp?OutputID=274
Other News
CCHPR presentation at the Housing Statistics Network Social Housing Statistics Seminar
Dr Connie Tang and Professor Christine Whitehead were invited to give a presentation at the HSN Social Housing Statistics Seminar. In the first part of the presentation, Connie gave a brief overview of the recent policy changes in social housing and the collection of housing statistics, and described some CCHPR projects on how these changes affected the social housing sector. Christine then outlined the future policy analyses on impact of localism on social housing and the data requirements to support the new agenda.
Dr Connie Tang and Professor Christine Whitehead were invited to give a presentation at the HSN Social Housing Statistics Seminar. In the first part of the presentation, Connie gave a brief overview of the recent policy changes in social housing and the collection of housing statistics, and described some CCHPR projects on how these changes affected the social housing sector. Christine then outlined the future policy analyses on impact of localism on social housing and the data requirements to support the new agenda.
Wednesday, 7 December 2011
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:
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/
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
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/
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