NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES

Futures for community & social housing providers

HOW IT GOT STARTED ESRC funding proposal to gather, analyse 10

years of CHR work and apply lessons to current issues

Involve social housing providers to get their insight into the work that has been done in different countries and the issues they face today

To use this knowledge to develop new governance models and new business lines

Why this project now?

Crisis or change opportunity Understand how providers can change

and adapt to meet new demand A desire for the Centre to take on projects

that will engage the housing sector The effects of the recent financial crisis on capital funding for

housing requires an investigation of new financial models The desire of large international housing providers to engage

with each other and academia to regroup and find new ways to do business through learning from each other’s experience and knowledge

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES

Project Design ElementsKnowledge Exchange & MobilisationCo-investigationsCo-authoringInternationalTest change readinessRenew SH profile Tele-Communications

PARTNERSPlaces for PeoplePowerHousing AustraliaGlasgow Housing AssociationSocial Housing Services CorporationHousing Choices AustraliaHusbankenCHR, University of St Andrews

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES

4 priority areas identified through partner interviews become research themes

1. Wider Impacts of Housing (and related) Investment on Outcomes for Neighbourhoods and City Economies

2. The Changing Context: New Roles, New Clients, New Policy Contexts

3. Finance and Regulation

4. Key Developments in Management and Governance

Wider Impacts of Housing (and related) Investment on Outcomes for Neighbourhoods and City Economies: the wider roles and benefits of housing actions (Tony O’Sullivan)

Residualisation: Examine the threat to community building approach brought about by increased targeting to needy & vulnerable households

Place: Role of housing in neighbourhood change Role of housing in economic recovery Communicating wider effects to develop wider policy

and public support and acceptance of housing developments

Understand and communicate how housing shapes individual success Review evidence of wider impact of housing on environment, health,

communities etc. Examine how housing builds and supports local economies

History, roles and structures of social housing sector; key influencing points, roles of various governments & government agencies; different approaches & patterns of needs

The Changing Context: New Roles, New Clients, New Policy Contexts, Changing economic and demographic contexts, innovations and changing tastes (Beverley Searle)

Investment patterns since 2000, shifts in funding arrangements Assess founding visions & how they limit current activity; identify

processes for change Examine housing choices for young people & new demographics of

ageing and longevity Potential to increase outcomes, in economic development, labour

mobility, health, education, decreased carbon How is R&D structured? Can it be improved? Identify new roles to serve new realities

Finance and Regulation, the purposes and limits of regulation, where money for renewal and new construction will come from as government investment falls and how assets may be used differently. (Duncan Maclennan)

Identifying pros and cons of different ‘in principle’ approaches to subsidy and differences over last three years

Understanding roles of income support for clients Responding to competitive resource allocation processes Current patterns of financing for key forms of development Asset management approaches and policy limits on asset

shifts (disposals, acquisitions etc) Financing stock transfers; public and private concerns Identify new financing opportunities as capital and operating

subsidies are reduced and/or withdrawn

Different approaches to regulation, in principle and practise Regulation approaches and responsibilities in different

countries Financial and other dimensions of regulation Regulation changes required in light of changing roles,

finances and structures

Finance and Regulation – cont.Potential roles for external equity capitalMaximising internal leverage Financial roles in response to credit and mortgage rationing for clients

Assess preparedness of organisations & policy systems for change Develop models and opportunities created by change Consider successful stock transfer processes Examine amalgamation & partnerships to improve value for money Challenge geographic and service boundaries Investigate non-profit landlords as managers of subsidiary companies Examine benefit of non-profits working with private homebuilders to deliver

mixed-tenure neighbourhoods Examine implications for staffing and governance of new business models

Key Developments in Management and Governance what kinds of organisations are needed to best deliver emerging policy and market priorities, and what will shape innovative and efficiency capacities (Tony McLaughlin)

WORKPLAN PHASE 1Partners are interviewed Agreements are drafted and circulatedFunding is secured

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES

A discussion paper on the thematic areas for research is completed and circulated to partners

A management group is established

Literature reviews are undertaken in each theme area to capture work done to date

Investigation outlines are completed A webinar ‘Linking housing policy to successful cities’

is held, led by CHR

WORKPLAN PHASE 21st partner meeting is heldAreas for research are finalisedResearch teams are put in place, each with a research coordinator

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESES

Management group gives overall direction 2 webinars are held A communication strategy is developed and

discussed

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES

WORKPLAN PHASE 3

Ideas are discussed, papers are draftedProgress is monitored by partner conference calls

Workgroups discuss & finalise papers A set of papers is completed An event for broader audience may be held Papers are prepared for publishing Communication strategy for all partners is developed &

implemented

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSWORKPLAN PHASE 4 Partners meet and work together in St

Andrews Each workgroup gives a seminar

A productive way of combining knowledge and experience to create greater outcomes

NEW TIMES, NEW BUSINESSES What do we hope to achieve?

Connecting housing to outside expertise A network to support and accelerate the changes

that are needed for SH provider survival Different models for social housing enterprise A continuing partnership between academia and

housing practitioners A role for CHR in that partnership