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

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/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.