Working in partnership to deliver more homes and better places
Blog by David Stewart, SFHA Policy Lead
This year’s SFHA Development Conference comes at an important time, when housing associations are working to deliver an ambitious programme of 50,000 affordable homes.
The target and increased funding for new social homes are welcome but provide a significant challenge to the sector. The 50,000 homes target follows a period of reduced investment that has resulted in reduced capacity to deliver this backdrop.
The closing session at the conference will ask – how can we deliver 50,000 homes at a time of reduced capacity? The answer may be partnership – with organisations working to pool resources and share services in order to maximise delivery.
An SFHA seminar on development partnerships, held in January 2017, supported this view, as did the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Development Thematic Study, which emphasised the risks associated with developing homes and the potential benefits of working with a partner housing association that has significant experience of development that has specialist staff in order to manage and minimise that risk.
The session will look at three different types of partnership that are crucial to maximising the number of homes that we deliver and ensuring their quality.
Rona Anderson, Director of Property, Enterprise and Regeneration, Queens Cross Housing Association, and John Turnbull, Investment Director, Clyde Valley Housing Association, will talk about the benefits of housing associations working together, drawing on current examples from their own organisation.
Elaine Scott, Housing Development and Regeneration Manager, City of Edinburgh Council, will talk about the council’s work to deliver much needed affordable housing and its partnership work with housing associations developing in the city.
Karen Campbell, Director of Policy and Operations, Homes for Scotland, will emphasise the role that private developers can play in helping deliver the 50,000 homes in partnership with housing associations by acquiring and delivering mixed tenure developments.
This year’s Development Conference takes place on 6 February and is followed by the Procurement Conference on 7 February. Both conferences take place at The Studio in Glasgow. Take advantage and get two events at one great price for £375 – a saving of £63 per delegate. Alternatively, book three delegate places and receive a fourth free. For further information, or to book click here.