scholarly journals An Evaluation of Interventions for Improving Pro-Environmental Waste Behaviour in Social Housing

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7272
Author(s):  
Ryan Woodard ◽  
Anthea Rossouw
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Waste Reduction ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Research Outcomes ◽  
Behaviour Changes ◽  
The Impact

Recycling levels have been stagnating for a decade in England. Over the last 2 years, 39% of local authorities have seen a reduction in their recycling rates. Social housing has historically been neglected in waste service provision and literature. Housing associations own 2.5 million dwellings, representing 10% of all housing stock in England. Improvements to waste services and increased resident engagement in social housing could address stalling recycling levels and contribute to the aim of the national waste strategy of moving towards a circular economy. This paper presents the results of engagement with housing association residents across 24 sites in England. Following community engagement workshops, a range of resident-led interventions were implemented, including improvements to recycling services and installation of onsite food waste composters. An inclusive resident engagement programme bespoke to each site was pioneered, including regular feedback on waste reduction and recycling performance. The impact of the project was evaluated using mixed methods, including monitoring of recycling levels and resident and stakeholder surveys. The interventions stimulated behaviour changes, leading to increased recycling rates (+10.4% per site compared to baseline), waste reduction (0.4 kg per flat per week compared to baseline), increased recycling quality, and social cohesion. The research outcomes provide a model for improving waste management in social housing globally.

The effects of social housing regeneration schemes on employment: The case of the Glasgow Stock Transfer

Urban Studies ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 004209802110470
Author(s):  
Meng Le Zhang ◽  
George Galster ◽  
David Manley ◽  
Gwilym Pryce
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
City Council ◽  
Heterogeneous Effects ◽  
Employment Multiplier ◽  
Capital Spending ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Regeneration is an internationally popular policy for improving distressed neighbourhoods dominated by large social housing developments. Stimulating employment is often touted as a secondary benefit, but this claim has rarely been evaluated convincingly. In 2003, Glasgow City Council transferred ownership of its entire social housing stock to the Glasgow Housing Association and over £4 billion was invested in physical repairs, social services and other regeneration activities. Using a linked census database of individuals (Scottish Longitudinal Study), we evaluate the causal effect of the Stock Transfer on employment in Glasgow through a quasi-experimental design that exploits idiosyncrasies and changes in Glasgow’s administrative boundaries. We find that the Stock Transfer had a positive effect on employment for Glasgow residents who were not living in transferred social housing stock. We establish that this effect was mainly accomplished through the local employment multiplier effect of capital spending rather than through any other programmatic elements of the Stock Transfer. Exploratory analysis shows heterogeneous effects: individuals who were over 21, female, living with dependent children and with less education were less likely to benefit from the intervention. We did not find significant subgroup effects by neighbourhood deprivation.

scholarly journals Sustainable built asset management performance indicators and attributes

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 508-522
Author(s):  
Justine Cooper ◽  
Angela Lee ◽  
Keith Jones
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Maintenance Work ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

PurposeThis paper aims to identify key performance indicators (KPIs), and their corresponding attributes, required to successfully manage asset management sustainably in a built environment context. Improving the sustainability of existing housing stock is a major challenge facing the UK social housing sector. There is a lack of support to navigate the growing and often incongruent information relating to sustainable development and how to operationalise it. The problem is twofold; first, the current (single criterion) condition-based approach to maintenance planning constrains asset managers and does not fully address the social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. Second, the toolkits available for assessing the sustainability of housing are often generic and are time consuming and expensive to implement.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reports the findings of a participatory research project with a leading London-based housing association, using a series of landlord and tenant workshops to derive a set of attributes associated with KPIs to fully reflect the local requirements of the landlord and their interpretation of the sustainability agenda. Five KPIs are considered to be measurable, directly affected by maintenance work and independent of each other were identified by this landlord (comfort, running costs, adaptability, maintenance costs and community).FindingsThe resulting outputs, in a policy context, will provide a clear route map to social housing landlords of how to improve the sustainability of their housing stock with the additional benefits of addressing fuel poverty and carbon emission targets, whilst at the same time, help create and maintain housing in which people want to live.Originality/valueThe proposed approach is flexible enough to incorporate the individual requirements of landlords and be able to adapt to changes in government policy (local and central) in a timely, robust, transparent and inclusive format.

Bending the ‘Third Arm’: politicians and housing associations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Lund
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Political Attitudes ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Housing Supply ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
The Third ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
The Right ◽  
Right To Buy

This chapter examines political attitudes to housing associations, regarded in the 1970s as housing’s third arm. It explores the politics involved in the changing fortunes of housing associations from the preferred mechanism for producing social housing in the late 19th and early 20th century to a niche role in the 1950s and 1960s followed by a leading role in social housing supply from the 1970s, with housing association diversity appealing to different parties for different reasons. Internal housing association politics, stock transfer from local government and the changing nature of housing associations are reviewed culminating in an exploration of the politics entailed in the Conservative Party’s 2015 manifesto commitment to extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants.

scholarly journals Affordability for Housing Association Tenants. A Key Issue for British Social Housing Policy

1992 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ade Kearns
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
The Political ◽  
Present Position ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Central Concept ◽  
Expenditure Patterns ◽  
Standards Of Living

ABSTRACTAs a result of changes to the financial regime for housing associations, affordability has become a major issue of debate in social rented housing in Britain. This paper assesses the implications of trying to construct a finance system for housing associations based on a regime of ‘affordable rents’ and the ‘safety net’ of Housing Benefits but with the state declining to define the central concept of affordability. Using examples of a number of Western countries, and empirical evidence from the sector in Scotland, the present position is criticised, and a route out of the policy vacuum is suggested. This is founded on the premise that housing is a means rather than an end, within a broader social policy. Given the political constraints, one solution lies in studies of the expenditure patterns and standards of living of different groups of housing association tenants, and in the creation of a sector-specific organisational subsidy to be available in addition to the usual producer- and consumer-subsidies.

scholarly journals Constructive Retrofit Guidelines for Social Housing Buildings in Beira Interior Region, Portugal, for Actual and Future Climate Scenarios

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Brandão ◽  
João Lanzinha
Keyword(s):  
Social Housing ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Climate Scenario ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Zone Model ◽  
Climate Scenarios ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Interior Region ◽  
The Impact

An important part of the Portuguese social housing building stock is unappropriated regarding the actual regulation and resident’s comfort requirements, which are expected to increase due to the impact of climate change. Beira Interior region in Portugal is one of the fewest Portuguese zones that presents both winter and summer most severe scenarios in many places. Future climate scenario projections for this region indicate more aggressive summer seasons, with the occurrence of heat waves becoming more significant, while winter seasons are expected to maintain a rigorous profile. The present article, which reflects the work still in progress, presents the development of a proper methodology for social housing retrofit in Beira Interior region for present and projected climate scenarios under Portuguese realistic cooling/heating habits of occupants. It focuses on monitoring internal temperatures in order to understand actual dwellings performance considering occupant behaviour, along with the construction of a dynamical multi-zone model for dynamical thermal simulations. Comparing the results with appropriate thermal comfort standards, proper retrofit measures will be identified and tested. Therefore, it is aimed the accomplishment of constructive retrofit guidelines, which are expected to be valuable tools for stakeholders interested in the retrofit of the Portuguese social housing stock.

Subsidizing the Supply of Rental Housing

2020 ◽  
pp. 175-194
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Meen ◽  
Christine Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Rental Housing ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Vulnerable Households ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Right To Buy

Chapter 11 discusses subsidies to the supply of rental housing. The traditional approach has been to subsidise first local authorities and then housing associations to produce additional social housing. Later the emphasis shifted to introducing private finance and recycling past subsidy to provide a range of affordable housing products. Additionally, the planning system was modified to make it possible to require the provision of affordable housing on residential development sites. Allocation principles have also changed, moving away from accommodating lower-income working households to emphasising provision for vulnerable households of all types. Here we examine the impact of changing financing mechanisms on the capacity to add to the housing stock; the types of provision; and the rents that are charged across the country. We also consider the impact of Right to Buy and other approaches to transferring accommodation between tenures. Finally, we look to comparable international experience.

scholarly journals Housing Statements – Perspectives on the Housing Crisis in the UK

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rice Colin ◽  
Errington Siân ◽  
Fallon Marianne ◽  
Robb Campbell ◽  
Wojtulewicz Rico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Housing ◽  
Trade Unions ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Housing Crisis ◽  
Housing Provision ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The Uk

To coincide with the launch of its conference series as part of the “Housing – Critical Futures” programme, in April 2015, Architecture_MPS invited leading organisations, activists, architects and charities to author opinion pieces on the housing crisis in the UK. Their statements collected together in this special edition. Speakers at the conference included Stephen Hodder, President, RIBA and David Waterhouse, Head of Strategic Planning, CABE. The authors collected together in this issue include: Ken Loach, Film Director; Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman. The Home Builders Federation; Siân Errington from Unite the Union; Rico Wojtulewicz. Policy Advisor, The House Builders Association; Brian Schubert and Rachel Hartley, The Association of Residential Letting Agents; Colin Rice, Cullinan Studio; Dr Glyn Robbins, Defend Council Housing; Suzanne Muna, Paul Kershaw, Arti Dillon, Housing Workers; Elaine Bailey, Chief Executive, The Hyde Group Housing Association; Eileen Short, Coorganiser The March for Homes; Dr. Rob MacDonald, Academic, Author, Editor, DIY City. These authors represent a diverse range of views on the issue of affordable housing provision in the UK and their essays are each a reflection of a very distinct analysis. From the arguments of those representing volume house builders and those of Housing Associations to the views of architects at leading UK practices known for their work in the field. Also represented are the voices of charities such as Shelter and academics who have spent their careers promoting resident participation in housing. To these voices we add those of trade unions and pressure groups arguing for a continuation of state involvement in the construction and management of the country’s housing stock. This diversity is of course deliberate. It is a reflection of the complexity of the issue faced and the diversity of opinions it raises. These essays range from short statements of opinion to manifestos; from calls to action to more extensive pieces of analysis. Coming from people at the heart of the debate in the UK they are a snapshot of the current situation.

Enhancing social values, identity and wellbeing: the impact of participatory working with housing association tenants

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-348
Author(s):  
Thomas Lambourne ◽  
Suzanne Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Community Identity ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Effective Community ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Community engagement is now embedded in the work of housing associations and local authorities in the UK, as a way of enhancing community development and involvement. This research takes as its focus a housing association based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales; a town that has experienced deindustrialization, peripheralization, and as a result, some of the UK’s highest levels of socio-economic deprivation. The importance of participatory working outside of a regulatory agenda and boundary is explored, to evaluate the role of tenant participation in building more effective community development practices. The data is gathered through an ethnographic methodology, working with tenants on facilitated projects to explore the impact of TP on tenants. It draws on two distinctive tenant initiatives: a cooking group and a tenant ‘youth forum’. The research finds that through these methods of engagement, a number of positive outcomes can be identified across the tenant body, namely (i) the forging and embedding of social values, (ii) empowering tenant groups and sustaining community identity and (iii) enhancing tenant wellbeing.

scholarly journals LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE ACTIVITY OF SOCIAL BUILDING SOCIETIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HOUSING POLICY

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 113-123
Author(s):  
Iga Lalak
Keyword(s):  
Housing Policy ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Housing Association ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Housing Construction ◽  
Housing Associations ◽  
Vague Term ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Proper Functioning ◽  
Building Societies

Participation in the creation of a social housing association in its proper functioning is a very important part in the implementation of housing policy. In spite of this, the institution of the society is still insufficiently clarified, since determininga flat which in 30% is financed by a citizen as a social one seems to be a vague term. The aim of the publication is to analyze the issue of social housing associations, but first of all to show the advantages and disadvantages of this system andthe indeterminate scope of the state’s responsibilities in the area of supporting housing construction.

Change in Service Provision Networks: The Case of Animal Welfare Services

2021 ◽  
pp. 0160323X2110092
Author(s):  
Laura A. Reese ◽  
Xiaomeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Service Provision ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Major Change ◽  
Network Evolution ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Organizational Ties ◽  
The Impact

This research focuses on change within informal service provision networks, specifically examining the impact that changes within a key organization can have on the larger network. Employing a before and after survey design with a treatment at the midpoint and participant observation, it asks: What is the impact of a major change within one organization on the larger external network? What is the nature of the organizational ties? and, How do political factors exogenous to the network impact the network evolution process? The findings suggest that internal change within a focal actor can have ripple effects throughout the network increasing density. Public service provision at the local level can be enhanced through an increase in partnerships between the public and nonprofit sectors. However, network evolution can be limited by the larger political environment and lack of a coordinating role on the part of local government.

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